In Brief
The Supreme Court prohibited the manufacture, sale, and registration of BS-III compliant vehicles from 1st April, 2017 nationwide, permitting only those already sold by 31st March 2017 to be registered thereafter. The Court rejected the automobile industry's plea to continue selling accumulated BS-III stock, holding that public health and the constitutional right to breathe clean air override commercial interests. The Court interpreted emission norm notifications purposively in light of the nation's decade-long phased policy to reduce vehicular pollution, noting the industry received ample notice and responsible manufacturers had already transitioned to BS-IV standards."
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