In Brief
The Supreme Court prohibited the sale and registration of vehicles not meeting Bharat Stage-IV (BS-IV) emission standards from 1st April, 2017 onwards. Vehicle manufacturers had stockpiled BS-III compliant vehicles and sought permission to sell them post-deadline. The Court held that public health and air pollution control take absolute precedence over manufacturers' commercial interests. Although manufacturers had been aware since 2010 of the transition requirement and possessed the technology to comply, they failed to shift production adequately. The ban applies to all vehicle categories, except those already sold before the deadline.
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