Why SC mandated color-coded stickers for all vehicles in NCR
What's the story
The Supreme Court of India has ordered all vehicles plying in the National Capital Region (NCR) to sport hologram-based color-coded stickers on their windshields.
The stickers will be used to denote the kind of fuel the vehicle runs on.
The court also stated that violators won't be entitled to services like Pollution Under Control (PUC) certification, ownership transfer, and address change.
Sticker significance
Color-coded stickers: A tool for identifying fuel quality
Notably, the SC had earlier approved color-coded stickers for NCR vehicles in 2018. However, it was never made compulsory and there was no provision to ensure compliance.
The stickers are intended to identify vehicles that use poor-quality fuel and help restrict their movement.
A light blue-colored sticker indicates petrol/CNG vehicles, orange for diesel vehicles, and green for EVs.
Enforcement measures
SC directs government to enforce color code
The bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan has asked the state government to take action against vehicles flouting the color code.
The court said, "We modify the order dated August 2018 and direct that as regards vehicles sold on or after April 1, 2019, the provisions of the said order will apply."
Vehicles flouting the rules may face actions under section 192 of Motor Vehicles Act 1988.
Stats
A look at the adoption rate of these stickers
As per the Union Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways (MoRTH), 95% of vehicles registered after the cutoff date (April 2019) in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and UP sport the hologram-based color-coded stickers. However, only 30% of vehicles registered before April 1, 2019, have these stickers.