The Supreme Court ruled that vehicles sold before April 1, 2019, must also display colour-coded stickers. This decision aims to improve the identification of older vehicles based on their emission levels. The directive is part of efforts to curb pollution and ensure better compliance with environmental standards. The move is expected to help authorities monitor vehicle emissions more effectively.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court stated that its rule to apply color-coded stickers showing fuel types will now also include vehicles bought before April 1, 2019, and registered in NCR states.
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan changed their previous order from August 13, 2018, to include all vehicles sold before the mentioned date in the NCR region.
The bench stated,
“This order was applicable for all vehicles in the NCR region, with implementation set for October 2, 2018. We modify the August 13, 2018, order to include vehicles sold before April 1, 2019. For vehicles sold on or after this date that do not comply, actions under Section 192 of the MV Act, 1988, will be initiated by the relevant governments.”
Section 192 of the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988 stipulates penalties for driving a vehicle without registration.
According to the revised order, light blue hologram-based stickers will be used for petrol and CNG vehicles, while diesel vehicles will receive orange stickers.
The bench emphasized,
“We direct the NCR state governments to ensure compliance with this order for all vehicles registered prior to April 1, 2019.”
It instructed that no ownership transfers, changes of address, or fitness-related activities should occur without adherence to this order and stated that “no Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates should be issued unless compliance is achieved.“
The bench noted that in Delhi, an affidavit had confirmed that dealers authorized by original manufacturers would handle the installation of the High Security Registration Plate (HSRP) color-coded stickers. It ordered NCR states to file an affidavit within a month detailing how they will ensure compliance for all vehicles sold before April 1, 2019.
Furthermore, the top court requested the Centre to gather compliance reports from all states and UTs regarding the color-coded sticker orders, with a deadline for submission set for March 17, ahead of necessary directions on March 21.
On January 15, the Supreme Court considered making hologram-based color-coded stickers mandatory nationwide, emphasizing the importance of effectively implementing PUC certificate norms. Senior advocate Aparajita Singh, serving as an amicus curiae, pointed out that many older vehicles in NCR states had not yet received the third registration mark, and progress was slow.
In 2018, the court approved a proposal from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) that established the use of hologram-based light blue stickers for petrol and CNG vehicles in the NCR, while diesel vehicles would have orange stickers. These stickers were designed to help identify vehicles by fuel type and include registration dates.
Following the court’s directive, the Centre amended Rule 50 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, and the HSRP order of 2001 to provide legal recognition to the sticker scheme. The bench indicated that it might extend this directive to other states and Union territories using its full authority under Article 142 of the Constitution.
The issue of color-coded stickers arose in the context of air pollution concerns in Delhi-NCR, which includes the states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana. This sticker scheme was initially proposed by the amicus curiae to facilitate vehicle identification and restrict the use of low-quality fuel during days of severe pollution.
On August 13, 2018, the Supreme Court first approved the Centre’s proposal for these hologram-based color-coded stickers to indicate the type of fuel used. It also suggested that MoRTH consider green number plates or stickers for electric and hybrid vehicles.
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