The Supreme Court has forwarded a petition to its E-Committee seeking modifications to the V-Courts portal so that citizens are not required to enter a plea of guilt when compounding traffic offences. The bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana passed the order after hearing Senior Advocate Maninder Singh appearing for the petitioner, Prabhjot Singh Dhillon.
The order noted that the issue raised in the petition was of paramount importance for the effective functioning of the V-Courts portal. The petition was filed by Dhillon through Advocate-on-Record Prabhas Bajaj, requesting a direction to the Supreme Court E-Committee to update the V-Courts portal to include a clear and independent option for compounding offences that does not necessitate the user to enter a plea of guilt.
The petitioner alleged that the current design of the portal incorporates dark patterns and a confusing interface which incorrectly equates the payment of fine with a plea of guilt. This, it was contended, results in convictions for compoundable offences without the citizen’s informed consent. The petition argued that the portal’s operation obstructs its intended purpose of ensuring speedy and citizen-friendly disposal of traffic challans.
It was further submitted that citizens, while attempting to compound certain offences on the V-Courts website, unwittingly enter a plea of guilt,leading to conviction without their knowledge or understanding of the consequences. The petition highlighted that such a mechanism violates fundamental rights by compelling individuals to incriminate themselves without awareness.
The petition also referenced the Delhi High Court’s decision in Benetton India Pvt. Ltd. v. State of NCT of Delhi, wherein the Supreme Court E-Committee was directed to implement specific changes in the V-Courts portal. These included enabling an option to compound offences by payment of fine to avoid delay in Lok Adalat proceedings and ensuring that such payments do not result in a record of conviction. The petitioner urged the E-Committee to act upon these recommendations.
In addition to the primary relief, the petition sought a mandate requiring the Assistant Commissioner of Police or any other authorised officer to be physically present at police stations on designated days and times to address traffic-related grievances. Another prayer directed the Delhi Traffic Police to establish a reliable and verifiable system to notify vehicle owners of alleged offences within fifteen days, as required by law.
The case is registered as PRABHJOT SINGH DHILLON VERSUS E-COMMITTEE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA AND ANR., with Diary No. 31698-2026. The Supreme Court’s order forwarding the matter to the E-Committee reflects the bench’s recognition of the systemic concerns raised regarding the portal’s interface and its implications on the legal rights of citizens availing the compounding mechanism for traffic offences.