The Lahore High Court has questioned the legitimacy of the new e-challan system being enacted by the Lahore City Traffic Police.
Justice Shams Mahmood Mirza asked about the law that justifies the imposition of an e-challan, in response to which, the state counsel replied that there is no law for the e-challans in existence. The counsel informed that the law enforcement agencies collect fines through e-challan according to the direct orders of the court.
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The judge, about being informed of the perplexing situation, ordered the counsel to present the statement on record about the court ruling that allowed the use of e-challans in the absence of a law. The development has reportedly been followed-up on by the court following a petition that questioned the legality of the e-challans.
During the past 2 years, over 4.4 million electronic challans have been issued by the Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA), as a result of which, Rs. 339 million worth of payments has been deposited to the national exchequer.
As per an official breakdown of the total number of e-challans issued in the region, around 2 million and 75 thousand vehicles, 2.2 million and 90 thousand motorcycles, and over 85,000 commercial vehicles were issued e-challans for breaking the rules in the past two years.
Loohar high court
Were our legislature, advocate general, prosecutor general all asleep on the job?