Sat Jan 04 10:53:21 UTC 2025: ## Supreme Court Considers Nationwide Mandate for Color-Coded Vehicle Stickers to Combat Air Pollution
**New Delhi, January 4, 2025** – The Supreme Court of India is considering a nationwide mandate for hologram-based color-coded stickers on vehicles to help curb air pollution. The court, citing its plenary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, is exploring extending a 2018 directive, currently limited to the National Capital Region (NCR), to all states and Union Territories.
The 2018 order, stemming from a Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) proposal, introduced light blue stickers for petrol and CNG vehicles and orange stickers for diesel vehicles within the NCR. These stickers, displaying the vehicle’s registration date, aim to facilitate easy identification of fuel type.
Following Friday’s hearing, the bench emphasized the need for strict enforcement of the color-coded sticker scheme to tackle vehicular pollution, particularly highlighting the importance of identifying diesel vehicles during periods of high air pollution under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
The court’s consideration of a nationwide expansion follows concerns over poor compliance. In November 2024, the court expressed dissatisfaction with the implementation rate, noting that a significant percentage of vehicles in the Delhi-NCR region lacked the required stickers. The court has scheduled another hearing on January 15th to address arguments on the proposed nationwide expansion. The Centre, along with other stakeholders, has been asked to present their positions. The initial suggestion for the color-coded stickers came from an amicus curiae, aiming to restrict vehicles using lower-quality fuels during periods of poor air quality.
First Piper 