Nagaland Police on Tuesday launched two digital platforms aimed at changing how traffic violations and police complaints are recorded and followed up, with the e-Challan system replacing paper traffic challans and e-Suraksha allowing people to file and track complaints online.
Director General of Police (DGP) Rupin Sharma, IPS, launched the two platforms at Rhododendron Hall, Officers’ Mess, Police Complex, Chumoukedima. He also showcased the tenant and landlord app and hotel occupancy app, which have been in use for about a year.
Under e-Challan, traffic fines and the violations for which they are imposed will be recorded electronically. Sharma said the data would also allow the police department to assess the performance of police units and officers involved in traffic enforcement.
No paper challans will be issued under the system, he said. Challans and receipts will be sent through SMS and can also be downloaded online.
Violators can pay fines on the spot or within 45 days through the Parivahan portal, mobile applications or offline..
Sharma encouraged motorists to make digital payments on the spot where possible, noting that those who choose to contest or compound offences later may have to approach a police officer or magistrate.
The system is linked with the mParivahan app and Parivahan portal. Sharma said pending challans would also appear when a vehicle owner applies for a No Objection Certificate for sale or transfer of a vehicle. The system also provides a grievance mechanism for the public.
Sharma cautioned vehicle owners against using unregistered vehicles, saying such vehicles are liable to fines and may be impounded. He also urged owners to comply with the Dimapur Deputy Commissioner’s advisory on proper vehicle registration.
The second platform, e-Suraksha, allows a person to submit a police complaint online to any police station or authority in Nagaland. The complaint is recorded electronically as a General Diary entry and receives an acknowledgement number through which its status can be tracked.
The DGP said a complaint can be filed from anywhere, including by a person outside Nagaland who has information about an incident taking place in the State.
Complainants can provide their identity or file anonymously. Those filing anonymously will not receive information on the outcome, while complainants who identify themselves can obtain a copy of the police report after the inquiry or investigation is completed.
The platform allows users to upload documents, photographs, videos and audio files along with complaints. Each complaint can be tracked to see its status, the officer assigned and the final report.
The complaints will also be visible through the police supervisory hierarchy, from the Officer-in-Charge and SDPO/ACP to the SP, DIG, IG, ADGs and the DGP. An Officer-in-Charge can assign a complaint electronically to an investigating officer or forward it to another police station or district.
Sharma said the system was intended to improve transparency and accountability and address complaints that grievances were not registered or that complainants were not informed about what happened to their cases.
He clarified, however, that an online complaint does not automatically become an FIR. The Officer-in-Charge determines whether the complaint discloses a cognizable offence. In cases where a cognizable offence is apparent, an FIR is registered, while other cases may require a preliminary inquiry.
Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Sandeep Tamagade, IPS, said that once a registered complaint discloses a cognizable offence, the Officer-in-Charge cannot refuse to register an FIR, citing the settled position of the Supreme Court.
He said confusion often exists between a complaint and an FIR and between criminal and civil matters. The police, he said, are responsible for determining the appropriate course based on the nature of the complaint.
In non-cognizable matters, a complainant may approach a magistrate, who can direct registration of an FIR where appropriate. Tamagade also said the new criminal laws require the Officer-in-Charge to inform complainants of the outcome, including whether a case was registered and whether a charge sheet or closure report was submitted to court.
On the tenant-landlord and hotel occupancy applications, Sharma said both had been operational for around a year and were OTP-based. He appealed to landlords and tenants across Nagaland to register through the tenant application.
He said the systems were intended to help police trace offenders when required, while hotel guest registration would help police maintain records of visitors and assist in investigations when necessary.
Sharma appealed to the public to make use of all four digital services, saying wider public participation would help the police operate more systematically while improving transparency in the system.