#Odd-Even Scheme to continue as Delhi HC refuses to interfere

The Delhi Government today received a massive boost for its anti-pollution initiative from the Delhi High Court.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath refused to interfere with the Odd-Even Scheme rolled out by the Government. The Bench said,

“We will not intervene with the Notification. However the Respondents are directed to take into account the contentions raised in the writ petitions.” 

The Bench also deleted one petition that had sought to clarify the applicability of the Scheme to disabled persons and said that this petition would be heard on February 15.

Considering the alarming levels of air pollution in the city and caustic remarks of the Court calling Delhi a ‘gas chamber’, had prompted the Arvind Kejriwal-led Government to introduce the unique Odd-Even Scheme. While many welcomed the step, it was met with equal criticism when a flurry of petitions were filed in the High Court seeking to strike it down.

Earlier the Court had questioned the Government whether the Scheme could be confined to a week. However, after hearing Senior Advocate Harish Salve’s submissions on the last hearing, the Bench has given the green light to the Government’s pet project.