{
  "id": 17381131,
  "title": "‘Wrongfully charged’ Rs 100 penalty despite positive FASTag balance, man wins Rs 4,000",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/wrongfully-charged-rs-100-penalty-despite-positive-fastag-balance-man",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-31T10:10:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/legal-news/wrongfully-charged-penalty-fastag-balance-man-wins-rs-4000-10944860/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Chandigarh District Consumer Commission has ruled in favor of a man who was wrongfully charged a Rs 100 penalty on his FASTag wallet, despite a positive balance at the time. The commission found that the charge violated NHAI guidelines and awarded him Rs 4,000 in compensation. The complainant had provided documentation showing a positive wallet balance at the time of the toll plaza visit at Behram, and the commission concluded that the collection of the penalty was unjustified. The judgment emphasizes that highway authorities and FASTag issuers must adhere to NHAI's non-negative balance rule, and that internal minimum balance policies or expired chargeback windows cannot override consumer protection rights against wrongful toll charges.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Chandigarh District Consumer Commission rules in favor of man",
    "Man wrongfully charged Rs 100 penalty on positive FASTag balance",
    "Commission awards Rs 4,000 compensation for unjustified charge"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}