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HC stays Delhi govt order suspending perks for Nexon EV
Under its Electric Vehicles (EV) policy, the Delhi government offers subsidies, and road tax and registration free waivers, for electric vehicles bought in the Capital.
The Delhi high court on Wednesday stayed a Delhi government order by which it suspended the subsidy to buyers of the Tata Nexon EV after complaints of sub-standard range performance, saying the officer who passed the order of suspending the subsidy did not have anything before him which could show that the vehicle did not meet the required efficiency or to prove that the bare minimum rules were not met.
Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said that a statutory body, like the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), Pune, gave a certificate to Nexon EV that it meets the requirement of over 300km/charge, and it was on this basis that the manufacturers, Tata Motors had applied for subsidy. ARAI is an autonomous body affiliated to the Union ministry of heavy industries and public enterprises.
Under its Electric Vehicles (EV) policy, the Delhi government offers subsidies, and road tax and registration free waivers, for electric vehicles bought in the Capital. On March 1, the AAP government suspended the subsidy offered for Tata Nexon EV after complaints that the car didn’t meet the per-charge range claimed by the manufacturer.
A Tata Motors spokesperson on Tuesday said the Delhi high court has issued a notice on the company’s writ petition and granted interim relief by directing a stay against the delisting of Nexon EV from Delhi government’s eligible list of vehicles. “The high court has granted time to the Delhi government to file a counter affidavit in the matter,” the spokesperson said.
Though the Delhi government did not comment on the HC’s order, it constituted a five-member committee to look into the complaints regarding Tata Nexon EV. The committee has been asked to take a final decision in the matter by March 20.
A senior transport department official said the committee, headed by deputy commissioner (transport) Manoj Kumar Pandey, will evaluate the mileage range of the EV as claimed by Tata Motors, its actual mileage in city conditions in Delhi to examine and verify the complaints made by complainants. The panel also has representative from the company and experts from other groups.
