Police & notices › Traffic challan or seized vehicle
Got a challan for something I didn’t do
What usually matters in this situation, and the papers to keep ready before you meet an advocate or free legal aid (call 15100).
Make my own list — free, 2 minutesYour situation
- What is your situation? Challan is wrong or not my vehicle
Where you stand
- In your favour Some minor motor-vehicle lapses are now civil penalties or first-time warnings under the Jan Vishwas Act, 2026.
Do these now
- Contest the challan online with your evidence
Silence for 45 days counts as acceptance. Where: echallan.parivahan.gov.in
Papers to gather
- The challan (number, date, photo/video evidence)
Basis to pay or contest. Where: SMS link, echallan.parivahan.gov.in - Proof the vehicle was elsewhere or it was not a violation
Contest needs documentary evidence. Where: Toll receipts, GPS history, photos, dashcam. - Registration certificate (RC)
Needed for any release or contest. Where: DigiLocker / mParivahan / original. - Driving licence
Asked for in every settlement or hearing. Where: DigiLocker / original.
What the law says
Central Motor Vehicles (Third Amendment) Rules, 2026: e-challans must reach you within 3 days (15 days if physical); you have 45 days to pay or contest on the portal with evidence; five or more challans in a calendar year can lead to licence suspension after a hearing. Some states are still adopting these rules. Pending challans are often settled at National Lok Adalats. Separately, the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026 changed several Motor Vehicles Act offences into civil penalties or first-time warnings and gives a 30-day grace period after a driving licence expires; its Motor Vehicles provisions were brought into force by notification in 2026 — check the current position for your state.
General information, not legal advice.
Saboot will also ask
- When was the challan issued?
- Are your vehicle documents valid (RC, insurance, PUC, licence)?
Similar situations
- Vehicle seized by traffic police
- Driving licence suspended
- Want to pay or settle old challans in Lok Adalat
- Challan for a car I already sold
Sources
- eChallan portal (Parivahan)
- Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026 — Motor Vehicles Act changes in force from 15 Aug 2026
- Motor Vehicles Act, 1988
The full guide: Traffic challan, wrong e-challan, or my vehicle was seized · All situations