The Right To Not Pay A Fine: What transporters going on strike in Maharashtra says about the fate of rules in India

Transporters in Maharashtra went on a shortlived strike this week. Tens of thousands of truck and commercial vehicle owners converged on Azad Maidan. Reason: they were fined for breaking traffic laws, did not know about them, or decided there was no reason to pay, and these fines have now accumulated to thousands of crores. There were other items in the list of grievances, but this seems to be the one that is bothering them the most because the government has said their permits would not be renewed if the fines are not cleared. The truckers, of course, don’t put it this way. These fines are called e-challans, captured without human intervention when a rule is broken, by CCTV cameras. Their argument is that the technology is unreliable, many fines were in error, and the appeal process is terrible.

Some of it is true, like many who get fined not knowing that it exists. The text messages to inform never come. And only a minority are aware enough to periodically check on the website of the traffic department. And yet, there is a nice system of corruption in which traffic policemen do catch them, tell them about the existing fines and then let them go for a small bribe. Technology was supposed to remove corruption but, as always, it finds a way to work its way into whatever layer is imposed.

It is even worse for transporters who have become the main targets for bribes because, thanks to CCTV cameras, interface with regular vehicle owners has decreased for the roadside cop looking to make a quick buck. All this still does not absolve the transporters because the offences are not il­lusory. Like parking in no-parking zones. To allow the argu­ment that the government is responsible because there is no adequate parking in a city like Mumbai is an invitation to chaos. And it is chaos already because no one really thinks a rule is something to be followed, it is just for manipulation according to circumstance while somehow getting the job done. And it works, because the 45-day deadline to pay fines or permits being denied will almost certainly be extended.