Auto companies cant sell non BS IV compliant vehicles from tomorrow

New Delhi: The Supreme court has said that  automobile companies cannot sell  vehicles, which are not Bharat Stage (BS)-IV emission compliant in India from April 1, 2017.

“Health of people is more important than the commercial interest of automobile companies,” a bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta said.

However, the court said that if proof is furnished that the vehicle was purchased before April 1, then it will be allowed to be registered.

Last October, the Environment Pollution Control Authority had said it would not allow sale or registration of any pre-BS-IV vehicles from April 1.

The government had in August 2015 said the sale of four- wheelers not meeting BS IV emission norms will be barred in India from April, 2017 with a view to bringing the entire country under the ambit of tighter pollution control regime.

"From April 1, 2017, the mass emission standards for Bharat Stage IV shall come into force all over the country.

With this, only those newly manufactured four-wheeler vehicles, which are compliant with the BS-IV standards, will be allowed to register and move on roads with effect from the notified dates in the notified areas," the Road Ministry had said.

With PTI Inputs