FADA to submit completed affidavit with details of BS-IV vehicles to court today

Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) across the country are awaiting court orders to complete the registration of over 2 lakh BS-IV vehicles which have reportedly been sold but not registered nearing March 31 and the subsequent lifting of the lockdown on May 3.

On March 27, the Supreme Court had passed an order permitting registration of 1.09 lakh BS-IV vehicles sold till March 31. However, the number of vehicles sold but not registered was over 2 lakh units in the FADA affidavit.

Moreover, many vehicle owners who bought BS-IV vehicles before the lockdown, or obtained a temporary registration before the county went into a shutdown, but did not supply the vehicle chassis number to FADA by April 3 are now in a lurch. These vehicles - not finding mention in the FADA affidavit - will be unable to obtain a registration number, and hence owners will bear losses.

The court is likely to pronounce its final verdict on the matter based on the updated affidavit that FADA is filing to the court.

India moved to the cleaner BS-VI emissions regime, from BS-IV emissions standards, starting April 1 this year. However, the SC had granted relief to 10 percent of all unsold BS-IV vehicles due to the ongoing economic slowdown, which was exacerbated further by the COVID-19 lockdown.

The Supreme Court had allowed the sale of "10 percent of unsold inventory till 10 days post the lockdown". The registration of these vehicles was to be made per details supplied to the court by FADA.