The Supreme Court has strongly advocated for accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) across the country. The Apex Court has urged the central government to revisit and update its existing EV policy to combat worsening air pollution.
Urging EV policy revisit and pilot projects:
A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi observed that the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) 2020 may be outdated, given the rapid changes in the automobile market over the past five years.
“Now, even the policy may have to be revisited. You could start a pilot project in metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, or Bengaluru,” Justice Kant suggested during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). The PIL, filed by the Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), seeks effective implementation of government policies to promote e-mobility.
Suggestion to phase out luxury cars:
In a significant observation, the Bench suggested that the government could consider the gradual phasing out of high-end petrol and diesel vehicles as a starting point. Justice Kant remarked that this would not affect the common populace, as only a small, affluent section of society could afford such luxury vehicles. This measure could help kickstart the wider transition to cleaner electric mobility.
The center’s response and next steps:
Attorney General R Venkataramani, representing the Centre, informed the court that a complete shift to EVs is a major policy decision. He noted that 13 ministries of the Union government are actively deliberating on the policy’s feasibility, covering incentives, government procurement, and charging infrastructure.
The AG assured the Bench that a comprehensive report detailing all notifications and facilitation measures undertaken to promote EVs would be submitted soon. The court recorded this submission and directed the matter to be listed for further hearing after four weeks.
The PIL argues that the government’s failure to effectively implement its own electric mobility roadmap violates citizens’ fundamental rights to health and a clean environment.
