The Supreme Court on Monday extended by five years the registration period of three specialised armoured diesel vehicles belonging to the special protection group (SPG).
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Manmohan was hearing a plea filed by the SPG challenging an order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) refusing to allow the extension of registration period of its vehicles being over a decade old.
The top court’s bench, however, granted the relaxation to the SPG after solicitor general Tushar Mehta sought the extension citing importance of the vehicles.
Mehta said such vehicles were essential and integral part of SPG technical logistics.
The NGT on March 22 refused to grant the relief, saying such diesel vehicles, couldn’t be permitted to ply in NCR on the completion of 10 years.
“We are conscious of the fact that these three vehicles are special purpose vehicles which are not normally available and these vehicles have run very less in the last 10 years and are needed for the specific purpose of security of the prime minister but in view of the order of the Supreme Court dated October 29, 2018, the prayer made in the MA (miscellaneous application) cannot be granted,” the NGT held.
The apex court on October 29, 2018, banned diesel vehicles older than 10 years from plying on the Delhi-NCR roads.
The verdict was based on the 2015 NGT order, prohibiting the use of diesel vehicles older than a decade and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in the NCR.
The SPG was raised in 1985 with the intention to provide proximate security cover to the prime minister, former prime ministers and their immediate family members. (Agencies)
