Pune: Bombay High Court Takes Up Petition Challenging PMC’s Rs 1,000 Traffic Fine Rule
Pune, 27th March 2026: The Bombay High Court has issued a formal notice to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) regarding a contentious 2010 government resolution (GR 16) that has enabled the collection of double fines from traffic violators. The writ petition (No. 8915/2025), which challenges the legal validity of the PMC’s authority to impose such penalties, was heard by the bench of Justice M.S. Karnik and Justice S.M. Modak on March 26, 2026.
The High Court has directed the PMC to file a clarifying affidavit within four weeks regarding its practice of using the police department to collect an additional ₹1,000 fine for traffic violations—primarily towing offences—on top of the standard police penalty.
The Core Issue: Double Fines for a Single Offence
Under the controversial GR 16 of 2010, the PMC has been collecting ₹1,000—mostly in cash—from traffic violators within its jurisdiction. This collection is executed using the services of the Pune Traffic Police. Consequently, a violator is forced to pay two separate fines for a single offence: one mandated by law to the police department, and a secondary ₹1,000 fine designated for the PMC.
The resolution also stipulates a 50-50 revenue-sharing model between the police and the civic body. Half of the collected funds are allocated to the Police Traffic Branch to spend on equipment such as tempo cranes, helmets, masks, jackets, speed guns, breath analyzers, and light batons, as well as infrastructure like zebra crossing coloring and signals. The remaining 50% goes directly to the PMC.
Advocate Satya Muley, representing the petitioner, argued before the High Court that the PMC lacks the statutory authority to impose these fines. He noted that the GR relies on Section 208 of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation (MMC) Act, which does not contain any penal provisions authorizing the civic body to penalize traffic violators or implement vehicle towing. Adv. Muley emphasized that the PMC cannot “step into the shoes of the police” to charge such fines.
A Viral Incident Sparks Legal Action
The legal challenge was spearheaded by Pune resident Mr. Vijay Sagar, whose personal ordeal brought the issue into the spotlight. After parking his two-wheeler on the edge of a footpath on J.M. Road—where there was no ‘no-parking’ sign or physical obstruction—his vehicle was towed by a traffic constable.
Mr. Sagar paid the official police fine of ₹785.65 online but was subsequently asked to pay an additional ₹1,000 in cash to release his vehicle. When he refused and live-streamed the encounter on Facebook, the video went viral. In response, a criminal First Information Report (FIR) was filed against him. This FIR was eventually quashed by the Supreme Court of India with the legal assistance of Adv. Satya Muley. During those proceedings, the then DCP Police filed an affidavit citing the PMC’s GR 16 of 2010 as the source of their authority to collect fines on behalf of the PMC.
Allegations of Extortion and Corruption
“By authorizing the police to collect a cash fine of ₹1,000 from individuals parking on footpaths or roads, the Pune Municipal Corporation has effectively created a fertile ground for corruption,” stated Mr. Vijay Sagar. He raised concerns that police personnel could demand lesser, unreceipted cash amounts from citizens instead of the full ₹1,000, or potentially collect funds by printing duplicate receipt books.
Advocate Satya Muley strongly condemned the practice, labeling it an exploitation of the public. “The PMC has a record budget of over ₹15,000 crores, yet they engage in such loot by using police machinery. People are already paying property taxes and other fees. This is a serious violation of law and the rights of the people of Pune,” Muley concluded.
The High Court’s decision to issue a notice marks a significant step in a case that could end a 16-year practice of dual-penalty collection in Pune.
