Gujarat High Court announces 20 new virtual traffic courts for e-challan processing

Ahmedabad: In an effort to increase efficiency in handling traffic e-challans, the Gujarat High Court has designated 20 new Virtual Traffic Courts across the state.

Acting Chief Justice Ashish J. Desai issued the directives in a circular.

The move comes after a proposal was sent to the Gujarat government suggesting the creation of these courts, which will be situated in various regions across the state.

The government has now authorised 20 Courts of Judicial Magistrate First Class, expanding the existing single court in Ahmedabad.

The orders were given on Friday and the implementation process will begin now.

These courts will handle e-challans remotely, utilising the Supreme Court of India's eCommittee's resources to ensure optimal judicial productivity, according to the circular.

The high court's IT Cell will distribute the e-challans to the 20 Virtual Traffic Courts daily.

The courts will then adjudicate the fines or penalties from their respective locations.

In cases where a traffic violator decides to contest an e-challan, the case will automatically be transferred to the jurisdictional court where the violation occurred.

This initiative, marking a step towards providing quicker and more accessible justice by breaking geographical barriers, follows the successful launch of a Virtual Traffic Court in Ahmedabad in May.

The court has efficiently handled e-challans for Gujarat, and with the steady increase of e-challan implementation across the state, the workload is anticipated to rise.

Upon success, the model could potentially be expanded to other case types.