Supreme Court Declines to Audit IRCTC's Tatkal System

The Supreme Court declined to address a petition seeking an audit of IRCTC's Tatkal booking system to identify technological issues. The court directed the petitioner to approach a high court instead. The plea emphasized the need for cybersecurity measures against unauthorized ticket bookings through bots and illegal software.

The Supreme Court on Friday opted not to entertain a plea demanding an audit of the IRCTC Tatkal booking system aimed at identifying technological glitches. Instead, the court suggested the petitioner approach a higher jurisdictional court.

Under the Tatkal scheme, tickets can be purchased a day before travel, offering a limited quota of seats. Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar advised the petitioner to take their concerns to the high court, underscoring a previous plea that questioned the very existence of Tatkal bookings.

The petition highlighted the need for stringent cybersecurity measures to prevent unauthorized agents from exploiting the booking system. It called for an audit to understand and rectify failures in ticket bookings, ensuring transparency and protection for genuine passengers.

(With inputs from agencies.)