SC plans pan-India tags for vehicles to mark fuel-type | Latest News India

SC plans pan-India tags for vehicles to mark fuel-type | Latest News India

The Supreme Court on Friday announced its intention to invoke its constitutional powers under Article 142 to make it mandatory for vehicle owners across all states and Union Territories (UTs) to adopt colour-coded stickers for petrol and diesel vehicles. The stickers will use blue for petrol and orange for diesel, facilitating the identification of vehicles based on their fuel type.

The Supreme Court first introduced the idea of colour-coded stickers to help streamline pollution control measures in August 2018. (HT Photo)
The Supreme Court first introduced the idea of colour-coded stickers to help streamline pollution control measures in August 2018. (HT Photo)

Acknowledging potential gaps in the Central Motor Vehicle Rules that may prevent the uniform application of this scheme nationwide, a bench comprising justices Abhay S Oka and AG Masih stated that the court would step in to address the issue.

“This (colour coding) needs to be implemented. Passing orders alone will not serve any purpose. There must be a regime…Holograms and colour-coding have their own advantage. Diesel vehicles can be identified and picked up based on the existing GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan) measures,” observed the bench during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) on air pollution.

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The Supreme Court first introduced the idea of hologram-based colour-coded stickers in August 2018 to identify vehicle fuel types and streamline pollution control measures during the stage-wise implementation of GRAP. Under GRAP, restrictions are placed on diesel vehicles during critical pollution periods.

During Friday’s hearing, the bench clarified that the 2018 directive was never intended to apply solely to Delhi-NCR but was meant for nationwide implementation.

In compliance with the 2018 order, the Delhi government mandated high-security registration plates (HSRPs) and colour-coded stickers for vehicles in August 2020. Violators of this mandate currently face a fine of 5,500 in the national capital.

The bench highlighted inconsistencies between the 2018 order and the 2019 amendment to the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, which provided for a specific display area for registration marks on vehicles but did not mention holograms or colour-coded stickers.

“Can the 2018 order supersede the 2019 rules? The order is only an enabling provision. Where are the substantial rules? Should we now pass an order applying the (2018) order to other states as well by exercising our authority under Article 142? This has to be implemented,” the bench remarked.

During the hearing, additional solicitor general (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre, and senior advocate Aparajita Singh, serving as amicus curiae, sought time to deliberate on the court’s questions.

“If all of you agree, the 2019 rules can be made operational prospectively, and some penalty can also be prescribed for violation. States can also address us on the next date,” the bench suggested.

In its order, the court emphasised that there could be no dispute over the necessity of identifying diesel and petrol vehicles using colour-coded stickers and holograms. It directed ASG Bhati to return with concrete instructions to facilitate the issuance of appropriate orders.

“There cannot be any dispute that in some manner, diesel and petrol vehicles have to be identified by way of stickers. ASG Bhati and senior counsel Singh seek time to address the court on this issue so that a proper direction can be issued by this court,” stated the bench in its order. The bench also noted the repeated directives issued since 2018 to ensure the tagging of vehicles based on fuel type and the apparent lack of compliance across the country.

During a previous hearing on November 4, the bench had sought a progress report on the roll-out of colour-coded stickers in Delhi and NCR states. The court had expressed concern after learning that only 50% of vehicles in NCR had been tagged, falling short of its December 13, 2023, directive for complete implementation.

On December 29, 2023, the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) addressed a letter to transport secretaries and commissioners in all states and UTs, urging compliance with the court’s December 13 order. The directive came after the Supreme Court asked the cabinet secretary-chaired committee to call for reports from states on their progress.

Despite these efforts, significant gaps in implementation remain, prompting the apex court to consider intervening under Article 142 to ensure that colour-coded stickers and holograms become a uniform practice across India.

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