Deputy Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Ashwini Kumar has clarified misconceptions among the public regarding traffic challans allegedly being issued on the basis of photographs taken through private mobile phones by traffic police personnel.
Speaking during an interaction, DySP Ashwini Kumar stated that traffic challans are not issued through private mobile phones. Instead, they are generated only through authorized electronic challan devices designated for traffic enforcement. He emphasized that every e-challan is accompanied by the necessary evidence and is processed through the official system.
He noted that many people mistakenly believe that traffic police officers can simply take a photograph with a mobile phone and issue a challan. However, he clarified that challans are created only through approved electronic machines, which record and maintain the required evidence for enforcement purposes.
Ashwini Kumar further explained that even before the introduction of the electronic challan system, traffic violations were dealt with on the basis of observations made by police personnel and witnesses. Taking photographs was not a mandatory requirement at that time either.
The DySP also stated that there is no provision allowing traffic police personnel to issue challans using photographs captured on their personal mobile phones. While officers and staff may occasionally share photographs from checkpoints, traffic drives, or official duties in departmental groups for reporting and documentation purposes, such images are not used to generate traffic challans.
Reiterating the department’s position, Ashwini Kumar said that only authorized electronic devices can be used to issue valid traffic challans, and photographs taken through private mobile phones cannot be directly used for challan issuance.
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