New Delhi: The Supreme court on Wednesday sought in four weeks a reply from the Centre in a plea seeking details on promotion of electric vehicles and implementation of the Electric Vehicle Policy and and Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles (FAME) India scheme.
The plea was heard by an apex court bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde. The bench expressed its keenness to have a discussion with Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari to consider issues pertaining to procurement of electric vehicles and related infrastructure in the country.
Chief Justice Bobde also asked if "environment minister (can) come to Supreme Court and explain proposal to introduce non-polluting vehicles run on electricity/hydrogen?"
Additional solicitor general Atmaram Nadkarni objected to the proposal and said that a Union cabinet minister coming to the apex court can send wrong signals.
To which the bench said, "He has made many statement on the issue. We are not indicting or ordering him. But, want to hear him."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has been pushing hard to promote clean-energy vehicles in India, and has unveiled a host of measures, including a $1.4 billion plan to make India a manufacturing hub for electric vehicles.
