Delhi High Court seeks Railways' response to PIL for IRCTC system audit

The Delhi High Court has requested the Ministry of Railways and the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to provide their official positions regarding a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking an independent audit of the online railway ticket reservation system.

The petition, filed by advocate Uttam Kumar, alleges systemic irregularities within the reservation ecosystem, including platforms operated by IRCTC and RailOne. Key concerns raised in the plea include the alleged misuse of booking quotas, unauthorized automated bookings via bots or bulk-booking mechanisms, and technical failures such as login issues and booking-session errors during high-demand periods.

Furthermore, the litigation highlights financial and transactional integrity issues, specifically instances where passenger accounts are debited without a ticket being generated. The petitioner is seeking a comprehensive, time-bound technical and administrative audit to ensure a fair, transparent, and reliable booking process for genuine passengers, alongside an effective mechanism for transaction reconciliation and refunds.