SC: No BS-IV cars after April 2020

SC bans the sale of BS-IV vehicles from April 2020

The Supreme Court ruled on 24 Oct 2018 that the manufacture and sale of BS-IV vehicles will not be allowed after BS-VI norms are introduced from April 1, 2020, to curb pollution. The court turned down a plea of the Centre and auto firms for a six-month window to sell their existing stock. The court asked the auto industry to show the “will, responsibility and urgency” to adopt BS-VI fuels. The SC said there is sufficient time for the manufacturers to change over to the new system and, there is no reason why they should be given a window of three or six months for sale of accumulated vehicles.

The court turned down a plea of the Centre and automobile companies for a six-month window to sell their existing stock of vehicles.

A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur, S Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta said in case of a conflict between health and wealth, health will have to be given precedence and asked the auto industry to show the “will, responsibility and urgency” to adopt the cleaner BS VI fuels to protect the health of citizens. “When we are concerned with the health of the entire citizenry, the larger public interest has to outweigh the much smaller pecuniary interest of the industry, in this case, the automobile industry,” Justice Gupta said