The Supreme Court has reinforced the critical need for hologram-based, colour-coded stickers on vehicles to combat air pollution, signaling its intention to make this initiative mandatory across all states and Union Territories, extending beyond the National Capital Region.
Initially proposed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and approved by the Supreme Court in 2018, the scheme assigns specific coloured stickers to vehicles based on their fuel type. Petrol and CNG-powered vehicles are marked with light blue stickers, while diesel vehicles receive orange ones. These stickers also display the vehicle’s registration date, which helps authorities track and identify vehicles based on their fuel type.
In response to the court’s directives, Rule 50 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, was amended, along with modifications to the High Security Registration Plate (HSRP) order of 2001, to accommodate the hologram-based sticker scheme.
During a recent hearing, Justices AS Oka and AG Masih of the Supreme Court stressed the importance of strict enforcement of the sticker system, particularly when implementing the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to curb pollution. The court indicated that it might extend the 2018 directive to all regions across India, using its constitutional powers under Article 142.
The matter will be revisited on January 15, with the bench directing the Centre and relevant stakeholders to discuss expanding the scheme beyond NCR. In November 2023, the court raised concerns about the poor adherence to its December 13, 2023, directive, which mandated the use of colour-coded stickers. It found that, of the 27 lakh vehicles in Delhi, only 17 to 18 lakh had adhered to the requirement.
Aparajita Singh, senior advocate and amicus curiae, pointed out that more than 50% of vehicles in the Delhi-NCR region still lacked the stickers. She emphasized that these stickers were essential for identifying vehicles running on substandard fuel, particularly on high-pollution days.
Additionally, the court recommended that MoRTH explore the possibility of green number plates or stickers for electric and hybrid vehicles to promote the use of clean energy and further reduce pollution.
States like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana in the NCR have been directed to comply with the court’s orders. The Centre has confirmed that it has sent notifications to all states, urging them to implement the scheme.
This development is part of the Supreme Court’s ongoing efforts to improve air quality in the Delhi-NCR region, with the colour-coded sticker system playing a vital role in reducing harmful vehicular emissions.
