Only BSVI Cars To Be Sold In India from April 2020: Supreme Court

Supreme Court says public health has to be held in a higher regard than the profit of automobile manufacturers; refuses to extend April 2020 deadline

The Supreme Court has delivered its final verdict on the implementation of BSVI emission norms across the country. In its judgement, the court has stated that vehicles that do not conform to BSVI norms cannot be sold in India from 1 April, 2020.

The government of India and automobile manufacturers in the country had filed a plea a couple of months ago to extend the deadline for the implementation of BSVI norms. They had argued that manufacturers will need time to clear their stocks once the norms comes into effect. However, with the court refusing to extend the deadline, manufacturers will now have to offer huge discounts on their vehicles to clear their inventory before 1 April, 2020, just like in 2017 when BSIV norms were made mandatory pan India.

The apex court refused to extend the deadline saying that public health has to be held in a higher regard than the profit of automobile manufacturers. Stating that enough time had been given to the manufacturers to shift from BSIV technology to BSVI technology, the Supreme Court did not see a valid reason to grant an extension on the April 2020 deadline. Previously in 2016, the government of India had decided to skip BSV emission norms altogether and go straight to BSVI in 2020.

The Supreme Court’s decision is binding on all vehicles that are sold in India, including two-wheelers, four-wheeler and commercial vehicles.