SC Extends Registration For SPG’s Armoured Vehicles By 5 Years

Supreme Court of India

The Supreme Court of India on Monday granted a 5-year extension for the registration of 3 specialized armoured diesel vehicles belonging to the Special Protection Group (SPG).

The vehicles, which are more than a decade old, were previously denied an extension by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Manmohan heard the SPG’s plea, which challenged the NGT’s refusal to allow the vehicles to continue operating.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the SPG, emphasized the importance of these vehicles, stating that they are essential to the technical logistics of the SPG and vital for the protection of the Prime Minister. He argued that these specialised vehicles, though over 10 years old, are integral to the security operations of the nation’s highest office.

The NGT, on March 22, rejected the SPG’s request, pointing out that the vehicles had exceeded the 10-year limit set by regulations and could not be permitted to operate in the National Capital Region (NCR). The tribunal referred to an earlier Supreme Court order from October 29, 2018, which banned diesel vehicles older than 10 years from being used in Delhi-NCR.

In its ruling, the NGT acknowledged that the vehicles were special-purpose assets, used sparingly over the past decade, and are critical for the security of the Prime Minister. However, the tribunal upheld its decision, citing the Supreme Court’s 2018 ban on diesel vehicles exceeding 10 years.

Court’s ruling came after Mehta requested a relaxation of the 2018 order, given the unique role of the vehicles. The bench, considering their special purpose, granted the SPG the five-year extension for their registration.

In 2018, the Supreme Court had issued a ban on diesel vehicles over 10 years old from operating in Delhi-NCR, following a 2015 NGT order aimed at reducing pollution in the region. The SPG vehicles in question, while more than 10 years old, have been used sparingly and serve an important security function, leading the court to provide the extension.

The SPG, formed in 1985, is responsible for providing close protection to the Prime Minister, former prime ministers, and their immediate family members. These vehicles play a crucial role in fulfilling the SPG’s security mandate.