Ensure no panic over HSRPs: HC tells govt

New Delhi: The Delhi high court on Thursday asked the Delhi government to ensure that no panic is created among the people for obtaining the colour coded fuel stickers

New Delhi: The Delhi high court on Thursday asked the Delhi government to ensure that no panic is created among the people for obtaining the colour coded fuel stickers and high security registration plates (HSRP).

HT Image

A bench of justice Siddharth Mridul and justice Talwant Singh, while hearing a plea by the president of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee, Anil Kumar, alleging that the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) were overcharging for the colour coded fuel stickers and HSRPs that have been made mandatory for vehicles in the national capital.

The bench suggested that the Delhi government should give more time to people to get the stickers before imposing a fine of Rs 5,500 for violations.

“We are concerned that it should not lead to any panic. We are only concerned about the fact that people should get adequate time and they should not be made to queue up for this,” the court said.

The judges said even they were clueless about the requirement of the stickers and asked additional standing counsel Satyakam to come with “detailed instructions” regarding steps taken by the Delhi government to publicise the stickers and HSRP.

The court asked them to clarify their stand on the fact that why were the vendors charging ten times the original price fixed by the Delhi government in 2012.

The Delhi government had in August made it mandatory for the vehicle owners in Delhi to have a high-security registration plate (HSRP) and a colour coded sticker to determine its engine and fuel type.

The court, on Thursday, sought to know from government’s counsel Satyakam as to who decided to outsource the sale of stickers and HSRP to OEMs and whether more time ought to be given to people to obtain the stickers and HSRP before starting to fine them for lack of the same.

Satyakam, during the hearing, told the bench that the Delhi government has nothing to do with fixing the rate of the stickers and HSRP and it was only concerned with implementing the Supreme Court directions that all vehicles should have HSRP and the stickers. He said the Centre had fixed the rates and added that the concept of stickers was introduced only in 2018 by the apex court.

However, advocate Sunil Fernandes, representing the petitioner, showed the court an April 2012 public notice issued by Delhi government indicating rates of the HSRP sets and individual stickers. He said the concept of stickers was already there and the only difference was the apex court direction in 2018 to make them colour coded according to the fuel used.

Delhi transport minister Kailash Gahlot on Wednesday held a meeting with officials of the transport department, Society of Indian Automobile manufacturers (SIAM), HSRP manufacturers and suppliers, Federation of Automobile Dealers association and major OEMs. He asked all stakeholders to provide unique reference numbers to complaints related affixation of HSRPs.

According to the plea, the manner in which the Delhi government was implementing Supreme Court orders for HSRP and colour coded fuel stickers would lead to a loss of around Rs 342 crore to the people of the national capital. It said that the notified fee for a colour coded sticker is Rs 12.15 and for a complete HSRP set, including the sticker, it is Rs 213.24.

However, the OEMs were charging customers Rs 141.60 (tax not included) and Rs 991.20 for the sticker and the HSRP set, respectively, the petition has claimed.