SC lifts ban on registration of diesel cars above 2000cc in Delhi, NCR

In the meantime, court has kept the issue of levying cess on diesel cars less than 2000cc alive, saying it will examine it later.

The Supreme Court had temporarily banned the sale of large diesel vehicles last year in New Delhi, which had triggered strong protests from car manufacturers. The Central government had thrown its weight behind the auto industries, saying “diesel cannot be termed as an undesirable fuel”.

A Supreme Court bench in January had rejected a plea by automobile manufactures Mercedes, Toyota and Mahindra & Mahindra to lift the interim ban on registration of diesel vehicles of 2000 cc and above saying, “Do your cars emit oxygen? If we find diesel (engines) to be more polluting, you are in trouble.”

WATCH: SC Lifts Ban On Registration Of Diesel Cars Above 2000cc In Delhi, NCR

The prohibition was imposed by the bench — also comprising Justice A K Sikri and Justice R Banumathi — on December 16 last year after noting that “because of the higher engine capacity, they (diesel vehicles) are more prone to cause higher levels of pollution.”

The bench had observed that it will also consider banning registration of diesel vehicles below 2000 cc at an appropriate stage.