Diesel car ban: SC reserves order

The Supreme Court on Monday reserved its order on the petition seeking modification in the apex court order banning registration of diesel vehicles of 2000 cc and above in the NCR.

During the hearing, the Centre told the apex court it is ready to conduct a multipronged study on diesel vehicles' effect on environment and possibility of imposition of green cess. Asserting that it favoured removal of ban on registration of diesel vehicles above 2000cc, the Centre sought six weeks time for study and said that any cess should be decided by them.

The apex court had on Friday said that it might consider lifting the ban if a one-time environment compensation cess is introduced.  The Supreme Court had on December 16 last year put a ban on diesel cars with cylinder displacement over 2000cc in Delhi NCR in a bid to curb pollution in the region. 

The major automobile manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Mahindra and Mahindra and General Motors India had moved the court to modify the order.