Indian Railways continues to be one of the cheapest systems of transportation for millions of people traveling long distances daily. Currently, getting train tickets entails merely going online, whether it be through the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) or through any online ticket booking service.
A large number of people purchase their own as well as their friend’s or relative’s tickets through the same IRCTC account, impersonating them. However, is this liable to bring one into legal entanglement? Well, let us move on to get to the facts.
Clarifying Misinformation
Over the last two weeks, a completely fallacious news alert was trending on social platforms that one can be arrested for booking tickets for friends and relatives through one’s IRCTC account. But IRCTC, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation, has dismissed this as a myth, saying that people should not be deceived. They elaborated that it is not forbidden to purchase tickets for people with different last names as the account holders.
IRCTC’s Official Statement
Due to the spread of such rumors on social media regarding the termination of services, the IRCTC came forward to clarify them on social media as well. They noted that the sale of tickets available on their site is controlled by the rules of the Railway Board.
Currently, there are no restrictions that are in place that would prevent a person from booking tickets for friends, family, or relatives using their own IRCTC ID.
Booking Guidelines
As per the rules on IRCTC, any user is allowed to book only 12 tickets per month on a single user ID. For verification of identity through Aadhaar, the above-said limit goes up to 24 tickets in a month.
It should be emphasized, however, that tickets that are bought under individual reference numbers cannot be resold in order to make a business out of them. This is taken as a violation under Section 143 of the Railway Act, 1989, and this attracts serious penalties.
Conclusion
Thus, booking train tickets for others using your IRCTC account does not violate IRCTC rules and is legal; however, one should follow certain rules strictly. Fake news on social networking sites should not be believed, and consumers should consult such claims independently using official sources.
summary table
| Topic | Details |
| Issue | Booking train tickets for others from your IRCTC account causing legal trouble? |
| Clarification | IRCTC debunked rumors of potential jail time for booking tickets with different surnames. |
| IRCTC’s Response | Confirmed no restrictions on booking tickets for friends, family using personal user IDs. |
| Ticket Booking Limits | Users can book up to 12 tickets per month per user ID; 24 tickets with Aadhaar verification. |
| Legal Consequences | Prohibited to sell tickets commercially; violates Railway Act, Section 143. |
| Conclusion | Booking tickets for others is legal under IRCTC guidelines; misinformation cautioned. |
This table summarizes the key points from the article in a clear and structured manner.
