National Green Tribunal: In an application by the Special Protection Group (‘SPG’), security to the Prime Minister of India, seeking a direction to the Transport Department, NCT of Delhi /Registering Authority to allow extension of registration period of three Specialized Armoured Vehicles by five years i.e. till 23-12-2029, Prakash Shrivastava (Chairperson) and Dr. A. Senthil Vel (Expert Member) rejected the application in the light of Supreme Court’s direction restricting the Diesel Vehicles to ply in the NCR on completion of 10 years.
SPG’s plea was based on these three vehicles being essential and integral to SPG technical logistics and this logistics support like tactical and back up support vehicles are deployed for the teams providing operational and proximate security to the protectee. The said vehicles, Renault MD-5 were purchased in 2013-2014, are very special in nature, design and in technical specifications and they are not easily available in market to meet the requirement. SPG’s contention was that the specialized armoured vehicles during the last nine years covered only about 6000 Km, 9500 Km and 15000 Km respectively as they are being used only for specific tactical purposes. SPG was aggrieved on account of registration cancellation of these vehicles in future as they will stand deregistered w.e.f. 24-12-2024 on completion of ten years from the date of initial registration.
SPG had approached the Special Commissioner, Government of NCT of Delhi, Transport Department vide Letter dated 19-05-2023 for extension of registration of these Special Armoured Vehicles for five more years beyond the period of 10 years. However, the said prayer was refused by the Registering Authority, NCT of Delhi in the light of orders passed in Vardhaman Kaushik v. Union of India1 and M.C. Mehta v. Union of India2 passed by the NGT and the Supreme Court respectively, restricting the validity of registration of diesel vehicles in Delhi and NCR region to 10 years.
The Tribunal noted that the three vehicles will be completing ten years from the registration date in December 2024. The Tribunal said that they are Diesel vehicles and in terms of the direction of the Supreme Court in M.C. Mehta (supra) dated 29-10-2018, such vehicles being Diesel Vehicles cannot be permitted to ply in the NCR on completion of 10 years. Hence, the Tribunal did not find any error in the letter/decision of the NCT Delhi Transport Department, refusing to extend the registration of the Special Armoured Vehicles for five more years beyond the period of 10 years.
The Tribunal also said that these three vehicles are special purpose vehicles which are not normally available, and these vehicles have run very less in the last ten years and are needed for the specific purpose of security of the Prime Minister but in view of the order of the Supreme Court, the prayer cannot be granted. Hence, the application was rejected.
[Vardhaman Kaushik v. Union of India, 2024 SCC OnLine NGT 160, Decided on: 22-03-2024]
1. OA No. 21/2014.
2. WP (C) No. 13029/1985.
