Odd-even scheme takes sadistic pleasure by robbing rights of middle class, states petition

Challenging the odd-even rationing scheme, a petition filed in the Supreme Court on Thursday said that the initiative takes sadistic pleasure by robbing the middle class of their right to earn a livelihood.

The odd-even scheme is a traffic rationing measure initiated by the AAP-led Delhi government from 4 - 15 November.

"This scheme takes sadistic pleasure by robbing the middle class of their right to drive to earn their livelihood by doing their jobs. It is nothing but a political gimmick for self-promotion and advertisement under the smokescreen of curbing pollution," the petition submitted.

The plea stated that the scheme impedes on a persons' fundamental right to move freely in the country.

The petitioner affirmed that the scheme discriminates on grounds of gender as women are exempted from it.

The plea alleges that the two-wheelers which cause the maximum pollution have been exempted from the scheme, while CNG vehicles are not.

The AAP-government had clarified earlier that the exemption of CNG vehicles would have caused congestion on the roads in a reply to a batch of petitions in the Delhi High Court.

The city government also said that two-wheelers were exempted from the scheme as they constitute 66 per cent of the total fleet in the national capital and if they were forced "off the road, it would have serious consequences on not just individual citizens but also on the public transport".