Proposed traffic challan auto-debit system unlawful

Hyderabad: BRS leader D Sravan Kumar on Tuesday described the proposal to collect traffic challans through an automatic debit system from citizens’ bank accounts as extremely alarming, unlawful, and contrary to the spirit of the Constitution.

Sravan Kumar stated that while enforcing traffic rules is the responsibility of the government, bypassing legal procedures to directly access personal bank accounts represents an unacceptable overreach of state power. He argued that a traffic challan is merely a notice of allegation, not a conviction. “Every citizen has the legal right to offer an explanation, file an appeal, or approach a court of law. The auto-debit mechanism strips citizens of these rights and imposes punishment without trial, violating the foundational principle of ‘innocent until proven guilty’,” he said.

The BRS leader further asserted that such a move clearly infringes upon Article 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty) and Article 300A (Right to Property) of the Constitution of India. He emphasised that money held in a bank account is personal property, which no government has the authority to seize without due process of law or a specific court order.

Furthermore, Sravan Kumar pointed out that Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regulations and banking laws categorically prohibit debiting an account without the holder’s explicit consent or a judicial directive. He noted that banking is a subject under the Union List, meaning a state government has no legal authority to unilaterally impose such a system. He warned that implementing auto-debit for challans would seriously undermine the fiduciary relationship between banks and customers and erode public trust in the banking system.