On Friday, the Special Protection Group (SPG) approached the Supreme Court, contesting a decision by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that denied an extension of the registration period for three specialized armoured vehicles. The NGT’s refusal was based on the environmental regulations concerning diesel vehicles in the National Capital Region (NCR).
The case was presented before a bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih. The justices expressed concerns about the SPG initially approaching the NGT instead of the Supreme Court, especially since the court has been actively monitoring air pollution issues in Delhi under the ongoing M C Mehta case, a landmark Public Interest Litigation on environmental regulation.
Representing the SPG, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta highlighted the urgent need for the extension, emphasizing that these vehicles are a critical part of the SPG’s technical logistics and security protocols. He argued that the specialized nature and limited use of these vehicles justify an exemption from the standard environmental regulations.
The Supreme Court bench agreed to treat the plea as an interlocutory application and scheduled a hearing for December 16. In its prior ruling, the NGT had noted the specialized purpose of the vehicles, acknowledging their essential role in securing the Prime Minister. However, it upheld the Supreme Court’s October 29, 2018, order that bans diesel vehicles older than 10 years from operating in Delhi-NCR, aiming to curb the region’s severe air pollution.
