The Patna High Court in Bihar, India, has ordered the state transport department to issue a notification for the resolution of 278,000 pending traffic challans at the National Lok Adalat set for May 9. The directive was made by a division bench led by Chief Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo during a hearing of a writ petition concerning procedural delays in handling traffic cases. The court emphasized the need for a streamlined resolution mechanism, noting that similar notifications in states like Odisha and Gujarat allow for reduced penalties on certain traffic offenses. Currently, Bihar lacks such provisions, contributing to a backlog of cases. The court has scheduled the next hearing for April 27, requiring the transport secretary to provide updates on the proposed 'Traffic Challan One-Time Settlement Scheme, 2026' aimed at settling older challans. The urgency of the situation is highlighted by the fact that many cases remain unresolved, causing public dissatisfaction with the traffic adjudication process.