JUDGMENT

Madan B. Lokur, J.

1. We had heard I.A. No. 494 of 2017 along with other I.As and had passed an order on 29th March, 2017. The operative portion of the order is as follows: “Accordingly, for detailed reasons that will follow, we direct that:

(a) On and from 1st April, 2017 such vehicles that are not BS-IV compliant shall not be sold in India by any manufacturer or dealer, that is to say that such vehicles whether two wheeler, three wheeler, four wheeler or commercial vehicles will not be sold in India by any manufacturer or dealer on and from 1st April, 2017.

(b) All the vehicle registering authorities under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 are prohibited for registering such vehicles on and from 1st April, 2017 that do not meet BS-IV emission standards, except on proof that such a vehicle has already been sold on or before 31st March, 2017.”

2. We now give our reasons for the above order.

Recent history

3. Sometime in 2003 the National Auto Fuel Policy was announced by the Government of India for the implementation of Bharat Stage norms for vehicular emissions. This P