New Delhi: The Supreme Court today allowed the registration of BS-IV diesel vehicles purchased before April 1 by Delhi’s municipal corporations and Delhi Police. These, however, can be used only in essential public services and public utility services as per BS IV norms. Those vehicles purchased after April 1 can be registered only as per BS VI norms.
“Insofar as vehicles purchased upto 31.03.2020 which are BS-IV compliant are concerned, they must have been registered with the E-Vahan Portal before the cut-off date to establish the date of purchase. If the purchase had been made on or before 31.03.2020 and these vehicles are BS-IV compliant, such vehicles necessary for the Municipal Corporation to carry essential public utility services should also be registered. But such cases shall be scrutinized by the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA),”
said the bench headed by the Chief Justice, and Justices A. S. Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian.
Last month, the Supreme Court allowed the registration of BS-IV vehicles that were sold in March this year, but could not be registered due to the nationwide lockdown before the March 31 deadline. However, these relaxations were not applicable to Delhi-NCR region.
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In March this year the top court had relaxed the March 31 deadline, amid the countrywide lockdown put in place to contain the spread of the global pandemic. It allowed the sale of BS-IV vehicles for 10 days across the country, except in Delhi-NCR, after lifting of COVID-19 induced lockdown.
Read the order here;
63998_1985_31_2_23998_Order_18-Sep-2020– India Legal Bureau