Hit by the order of the Supreme Court banning registration of diesel-driven SUVs and luxury sedans above 2000 cc in the National Capital Region (NCR), three auto majors — Mercedes, Toyota and Mahindra — have approached the Supreme Court for urgent relief.
The apex bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur posted the application for Tuesday along with the main petition in which the orders were passed. The automobile manufacturers filed an elaborate application seeking modification of the Court’s December 16 order by which registration of diesel vehicles above 2000 cc was frozen in a bid to curb Delhi’s air pollution. The companies were represented by senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Arvind Datar, who argued that the ban had caused inconvenience to persons situated in villages who use the diesel-driven SUVs for public service.
The bench, also comprising Justices AK Sikri and R Banumathi, responded in a lighter vein. “Are you getting to get one car each,” while posting the matter for Tuesday.
The efforts to cleanse Delhi’s air of toxic chemicals, dust and obnoxious gases had led the Supreme Court to take the extraordinary step of placing ban on diesel SUVs and sedans, considering the fact that they are used by elite persons in the society.
The bench order said, “It is noteworthy that diesel vehicles of 2000 cc and above and SUVs are generally used by more affluent sections of our society and because of the higher engine capacity are more prone to cause higher levels of pollution. A ban on registration of such vehicles will not therefore affect the common man or the average citizen in the city of Delhi.”