BS IV vehicle sales nose dive; FADA approaches Supreme Court for relief

NEW DELHI: Facing difficulty in clearing BS-IV vehicle stock as sales have dipped over the COVID-19 outbreak, auto dealers have approached the Supreme Court again seeking an extension of the deadline to register vehicles running on older emission norms.

In an Interlocutory Application, the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) has sought modification in Writ Petition No. 13029 of 1985 in the matter of M. C. Mehta vs Union Of India & others, dated October 24, 2018, whereby it has been directed that "any motor vehicle conforming to emission standard Bharat Stage-IV shall be sold or registered in the entire country with effect from 01.04.2020."

The court has accepted our application, but dates have not been given for hearing, FADA Vice President Vinkesh Gulati told IANS.

FADA had filed an application in the apex court earlier as well with the prayer for an extension of registering BS IV vehicles in wake of huge unsold inventory and slowing sales. That application was, however, rejected by the court on February 14.

"Post our initial application, there has been a drastic change in circumstances in conducting business as usual. SARS-CoV-2 a.k.a coronavirus (COVID-19) which emerged in Wuhan in the Hubei province of China has spread rapidly across the globe and also in India," FADA President Ashish Harsharaj Kale said. (IANS)

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