Delhi air air pollution: SC to contemplate extending order for colour-coded stickers for autos past NCR

The apex courtroom might prolong the 2018 course to different states and Union Territories by exercising its plenary powers underneath Article 142 of the Structure, the bench stated.
| Photograph Credit score: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap

The Supreme Court docket has pressured on the necessity of hologram-based colour-coded stickers for autos to deal with air air pollution, saying it was contemplating to make it necessary in states and Union Territories past the Nationwide Capital Area.

In 2018, the highest courtroom accepted the proposal of the Ministry of Highway Transport and Highways (MoRTH), which envisaged that hologram-based mild blue stickers could be utilized in autos utilizing petrol and CNG within the Nationwide Capital Area (NCR), whereas diesel-run autos would have orange stickers.

These stickers, which facilitates in figuring out autos primarily based on the gasoline used, had been additionally supposed to incorporate the date of registration of the car.

Following the apex courtroom’s order, the Centre amended Rule 50 of the Central Motor Autos Guidelines, 1989, and the Excessive Safety Registration Plate (HSRP) order of 2001 to offer authorized recognition to the scheme of hologram-based stickers.

The matter got here up for listening to on Friday (January 3, 2025) earlier than a bench of Justices A. S. Oka and A. G. Masih.

The bench emphasised on enforcement to take care of vehicular air pollution and stated the course for colour-coded stickers was wanted to be applied.

It stated diesel autos may very well be recognized on the time when the Graded Response Motion Plan (GRAP) was in pressure to curb air air pollution.

The bench stated it might contemplate extending the course for these stickers for autos past the NCR.

The apex courtroom might prolong the 2018 course to different states and Union Territories by exercising its plenary powers underneath Article 142 of the Structure, the bench stated.

It requested the involved events, together with the Centre, to deal with arguments on this situation and posted the matter for additional listening to on January 15.

In November final 12 months, the highest courtroom had requested the Centre, Delhi and different NCR states for a compliance replace on its course over using hologram-based colour-coded stickers in autos.

It had noticed that its December 13, 2023, course to strictly implement the scheme had not been complied with.

The problem of colour-coded stickers for autos cropped up when the apex courtroom was listening to a matter referring to air air pollution in Delhi-NCR.

The NCR states embody Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

Senior advocate Aparajita Singh, helping the highest courtroom as an amicus curiae within the matter, had submitted that greater than 50% of the autos plying the Delhi-NCR roads didn’t have colour-coded stickers.

The color-coded sticker scheme was initially prompt by the amicus curiae to allow identification of autos and prohibit autos utilizing unhealthy high quality gasoline throughout “poor class” air pollution days.

The counsel showing for the Centre had stated the MoRTH had written to all of the states for compliance of the December 13, 2023, order of the apex courtroom.

The highest courtroom had subsequently directed all states to report on their compliance with the orders on colour-coded stickers for autos.

On December 13, 2023, the highest courtroom famous that of about 27 lakh autos in Delhi, colour-coded stickers had been placed on 17-18 lakh autos.

It had directed the Delhi authorities to make sure all of the autos integrated these stickers to presumably assist in checking air air pollution.

On August 13, 2018, the highest courtroom, in a primary, gave its nod to the Centre’s proposal of hologram-based colour-coded stickers for autos indicating the character of gasoline they had been utilizing.

It had prompt the MoRTH to contemplate having green-colour quantity plates or inexperienced stickers for electrical and hybrid autos.