New Delhi: (UNI) The Delhi High Court, after hearing three Public Interest Litigations challenging the Odd-Even scheme, directed the Aam Aadmi Party government to treat the same as a representation.The HC bench, comprising Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar, after hearing all the PILs, directed the Delhi Government to take a decision on the representations by November 5The three PILs challenged the road rationing odd-even scheme of Delhi government, which is expected to be in force in the national capital from November 4-15.Socialist Sanjiv Kumar had submitted before the HC that the odd-even scheme was being implemented solely for vote bank politics and the government was spending crores of rupees in advertisement and promotion, in the guise of curbing pollution.
He further submitted that under this scheme, cause and remedy was totally mismatched as two-wheelers, which cause maximum pollution were exempted and CNG vehicles were not, as it was difficult to check the CNG stickers on vehicles.Shashwat Bhardwaj, the second petitioner, questioned the rationale behind exempting vehicles of Judges, Member of Parliaments, Ministers and Heads of various statutory bodies. He further alleged gender discrimination under the scheme, stating that exemption was granted to women.Santosh Gupta, the third petitioner, opposed the non-exemption of CNG vehicles under the scheme, due to misuse of CNG stickers in the past.
Counsel for the Delhi government submitted before the court that the PILs filed by petitioners would be treated as a representation and decisions would be taken by the Government in accordance with law, rules and regulations, as early as possible.
