Bangalore is one of the busiest cities in India and the traffic remains busy throughout the daytime. To mitigate the traffic properly, you must follow all the traffic rules and regulations. However, if you are found violating any traffic rule, a challan will be imposed against your vehicle. The challans that remain pending for a long time often get referred to the Lok Adalat. The Lok Adalat is an informal court held to settle pre-litigation cases across India. Apart from trivial traffic challans, this court also handles family disputes, land-related quarrels, and marriage disputes. When it comes to traffic challans, you can settle them easily by visiting a Lok Adalat session. You can also expect a discount or waiver for the pending traffic challans imposed against your licence or vehicle number.
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What is Lok Adalat for traffic challans?
Lok Adalat meaning People’s Court is held to resolve and close traffic challans of compoundable types. You need to find the upcoming Lok Adalat session’s venue, date, and time and attend the court in person to settle your traffic challans. Alternatively, you can also attend a e-Lok Adalat session through video conferencing. Both these procedures have been explained in detail in the below sections.
Common Traffic Challan Offences Considered in Lok Adalat
Only compoundable challans i.e. the challans that can be settled by paying a fine are considered for settlement in Lok Adalat. Some of these traffic violations are listed below:
- Driving without a helmet/seatbelt
- Driving in the wrong lane
- Jumping a red signal
- Not following the speed restrictions
- Using phone while driving
- Triple seating on a bike
- Co-driver not wearing the seatbelt
- Pillion-rider not wearing the helmet
- Honking near silent zones
The fine for these challans can be settled immediately to avoid any further consequences. However, if you keep them pending for a long time, they’ll most probably be referred to the Lok Adalat.
How to Check Lok Adalat Challan Status in Bangalore?
It is fairly easy to check the Lok Adalat challan status in Bangalore. The first step is to either visit the Bangalore Traffic Police portal or the ‘Virtual Courts’ website.
After that, you need to provide your vehicle number/challan number and some of the other vehicle details. Upon submitting these details, you can fill the captcha code and click on the ‘go’ button. The pending challan against your vehicle will be displayed on the screen. If some of these challans are referred to the Lok Adalat, that will also be mentioned here.
You can also clear the challans that have not been referred to the court yet. Download the receipt after clearing the traffic challans for your future reference.
Documents Required for Lok Adalat Challan Settlement
All the documents related to your vehicle viz. driving licence, Registration Certificate or RC of the vehicle, insurance policy certificate, and Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate should be carried while visiting the Lok Adalat in person. For e-Lok Adalat also, you must keep these documents ready. Along with these documents, you must also carry your valid identity proof such as voter’s ID, Aadhaar Card, and Pan Card. Also, don’t forget to carry the challan receipt if the traffic challan was handed over by the traffic police in person. For e-Challan, you can note down the challan numbers or print the challan after downloading it.
How to Pay a Challan in Lok Adalat in Bangalore?
To settle a traffic challan in Lok Adalat in Bangalore, you must follow these steps:
Check the Challan Status
The pending challans get referred to the Lok Adalat directly. So, you must confirm whether the challans have been referred to Lok Adalat by visiting the official site of ‘Virtual Courts’ or Bangalore Traffic Police. Alternatively, you can also use the Parivahan e-Challan site for verifying the pending challan status.
Register for the Lok Adalat Session
After confirming the challan status, you can register for an e-Lok Adalat session using the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA) to attend the Lok Adalat session online. Or else, you can visit the Lok Adalat venue directly and get the token from the Lok Adalat help desk after showing your challan details and documents. After receiving this token, you can appear before the judges and present your case yourself. The judge will ask you to settle the challan immediately. If multiple challans are pending, he might also provide a discount or waive-off some of the trivial challans.
Collect the Payment Receipt
Those who attend the e-Lok Adalat session online can pay via UPI or net banking and receive the payment receipt through their registered email address. Those who clear the challan in person will get the payment receipt from the help desk.
Lok Adalat Dates for Challan Settlement in Bangalore
The Lok Adalat sessions are held on the 2nd Saturday of March, May, September, and December in Bangalore. Therefore, the upcoming Lok Adalat dates will be on 9th May, 12th September, and 12th December respectively. You can get the latest updates on the upcoming Lok Adalat dates through the official website of KSLSA. The availability, location, and timings may differ from one city/state to another.
What Happens if You Don’t Settle Challans in Lok Adalat?
In case you don’t settle the pending challans in Lok Adalat, the following legal actions can be taken against you:
- The Regional Transport Office (RTO) can seize your vehicle until you clear the pending challan and pay the penalty fine.
- Your RC or driving licence can be suspended.
- Your vehicle number can be blocked on the Vahan portal. In this case, you will face issues while selling your vehicle or renewing its vehicle insurance policy.
- Summons can be issued against you asking you to be present before the court. Here, any of the above actions can be taken or you’ll be asked to pay the penalty or fine in full (no discounts or waivers shall be provided) on the spot.
To avoid these legal proceedings and action, you must settle a challan immediately or at least appear in the Lok Adalat and clear it there.
Summary
We hope you’ve understood the importance of settling a traffic challan in Lok Adalat. For most people, it may be a new thing. However, it is helpful if multiple challans have been pending against your vehicle for a long time. Also, remember to check the Lok Adalat challan status and check the dates and venue properly before making a move.
FAQs about Lok Adalat in Bangalore
Q. Where is Lok Adalat organised in Bangalore?
The Lok Adalat is either organised at a Civil Court, a Magistrate Court, or at the Bangalore High Court.
Q. Is overspeeding a compoundable traffic offence in Bangalore?
Yes, overspeeding is a compoundable traffic offence in Bangalore provided that no harm or injury is caused due to overspeeding.
Q. Are there any specific traffic rules in Bangalore?
No, all the traffic rules mentioned in the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988 are applicable in Bangalore as well. However, the traffic police may enforce these rules strictly due to the busy traffic conditions in the city.
Q. Should I hire a lawyer to present my case in Lok Adalat?
While you may hire a lawyer for complicated cases, you can also represent your case by yourself in the Lok Adalat.
Q. Can I raise a complaint against a pending challan in Bangalore?
Yes, you may raise a complaint against a pending challan that had been wrongly imposed on your vehicle. For that, you must visit the Parivahan e-Challan website and provide the respective challan number. Once you select a challan, you can raise a complaint against it by describing the issue and providing supporting evidence (photos/videos) that prove your innocence. Once the challan is revoked, you don’t have to pay any fine for it.
