India, Oct. 1 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday directed states and Union territories (UTs) to freeze online and other vehicle-related services, including renewal of registration, issuance of fitness and pollution-under-control certificates (PUC), ownership transfers and even renewal of driving licences, where traffic fines remain unpaid, as part of a nationwide push to make electronic enforcement of road-safety laws more effective.

A bench of justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan also directed that vehicles with outstanding e-challans be blacklisted on the central Parivahan portal, blocking their sale or transfer, while no centre should be permitted to issue a PUC certificate until pending traffic fines are cleared. In cases involving...