The Supreme Court declined to hear a plea seeking an audit of the IRCTC Tatkal booking system. The bench said the petitioner can move the concerned High Court for relief.
New Delhi: On May 9, The Supreme Court of India has refused to hear a petition that asked for a complete audit of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)’s Tatkal booking system.
The petition wanted the Central Government to be directed to examine the system closely and fix any technological problems that make it hard for common people to book tickets under the Tatkal quota.
Tatkal tickets are a special category of train tickets that can be booked just one day before the travel date. These tickets are very limited and are meant to help passengers who need to travel urgently.
However, many users have faced problems like the website hanging, payment failures, and extremely fast ticket sell-outs, which often makes it difficult for genuine passengers to secure a confirmed seat.
This has led to growing complaints from the public, with some even alleging misuse by agents or technical flaws that prevent fair access to tickets.
The matter came up before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar. After briefly hearing the matter, the bench said that it was not appropriate for the Supreme Court to hear this case directly at this stage.
Instead, the petitioner was advised to approach the concerned High Court, which would be the right forum to examine such complaints in detail.
the bench stated during the hearing,
“The petitioner can move the jurisdictional high court with his grievance,”
The Supreme Court’s refusal to entertain the plea does not mean the issue is closed. Rather, it opens the door for the petitioner to take the matter to a High Court which has the legal power to examine facts and hear evidence related to the IRCTC’s Tatkal booking system.
The petitioner, who had filed the plea, reportedly argued that the flaws in the Tatkal booking process were denying fair access to ordinary passengers.
He claimed that without a proper technical audit, these problems would continue and could even raise suspicion of foul play or system manipulation.
But the Supreme Court clarified that such concerns should first be looked into by the relevant High Court, which can summon technical experts and government officials if needed.
The decision is in line with the judiciary’s principle of following the correct legal process and ensuring that complaints are addressed by the courts that have proper jurisdiction.
While the Supreme Court has the power to hear important national matters, it often prefers that High Courts first examine the facts and give their verdict.
This order gives the petitioner a chance to file the same complaint before a High Court, which may then consider whether an audit of the IRCTC Tatkal system is necessary.
If the High Court finds merit in the case, it can take action or even direct the government to carry out a technical examination of the system.
The Supreme Court’s stand reflects its approach to not overstep when lower courts are available for initial hearings, especially in technical or localised issues that need detailed fact-checking.
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