Poll Analysis | Bribery or Fees?
Have you encountered such situations? Traffic police officers always look for opportunities to exploit commuters. Going by reports on our website, people across the country have confessed to paying a bribe demanded by traffic cops for violating traffic rules without a receipt.
Most people are unaware of the rules and regulations of traffic violations and police use this to their advantage. Inspectors extort money as a bribe, sometimes higher than the price of the challan. A few clever officers also issue challans to the alleged offenders but refuse to give any receipt and instead pocket the money.
I Paid a Bribe conducted a poll asking its readers, “Does paying a challan without a receipt qualify as bribery?” 94 per cent of the people voted that paying for a challan without a receipt as a form of bribery whereas 6 per cent of the voters believe otherwise.
“Once a police inspector caught me for violating a traffic signal and demanded a bribe of Rs. 200 without challan. I know it amounts to bribery but having no other choice, I paid the amount,” comments a respondent in the poll.
Another respondent opines, “Paying the challan amount without a receipt is worse than paying a bribe.”
Recently, Kerala introduced an e-challan system in its capital Thiruvananthapuram, to bring down instances of harassment by police in the name of penalising offenders for traffic violation. Other states should follow the footsteps of Kerala to prevent traffic policemen from seeking bribes.
Take a look at these documents that could help you avoid paying a bribe if you ever come across such a situation. Corrupt officials can be discouraged from indulging in such immoral practices only when citizens learn to be defiant when faced by unlawful demands or harassments.
How to be Informed of Traffic Penalties