HC dismisses plea against odd-even scheme

The Delhi High Court Wednesday dismissed a PIL challenging the AAP government's proposed odd-even road rationing scheme which is expected to be in force from November 4-15.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar declined to entertain the plea as the petitioner had not made any representation to the government before approaching the court.

The court also said that the petition was filed without the details of the scheme which is yet to be notified by the Delhi government.

Petitioner Nand Kishor Garg, in his plea filed through advocate Shashank Deo Sudhi, had opposed the scheme on the ground that it was "arbitrary" as polluting vehicles, like two-wheelers, were being exempted while CNG driven vehicles were not.

Garg, a former BJP MLA from Trinagar constituency of Delhi, had contended that the exempted two wheelers sold in India are of BS-II norms while four wheelers comply with BS-IV norms.

"The discriminatory approach of the Respondent No.1 (Delhi government) in including CNG within the restrictive direction despite CNG being emitting less pollution is completely violative of basic principle of equality.

"The acts of the respondent No. 1 are biased and is directed towards achieving the populist goal for the purpose of upcoming election...," the petition had also claimed.

He had sought directions to the government to either exempt CNG vehicles under the proposed scheme or not to implement it all.