The Motor Vehicles Rules of the Union government have laid down norms for the two or four wheelers vehicles vis-a-vis air pollution. But a division bench questioned the norms for public transport having more than four wheels during the hearing on banning 15-year-old vehicles.

Counsel for the Association pleaded said the state transport department had issued a notification on May 24, 2005 banning 15-year-old public transport only after a suggestion of the environment department, which advised such a step to curb air pollution caused by auto emission.

In other words, the counsel argued, it was not a state government policy to ban 15-year-old public vehicles like bus, minibus, truck etc.

He also said the state transport department was not authorised to issue a notification banning old vehicles as it had not been empowered by the Motor Vehicles Act of the Union government to do so. So the notification was not valid, he said.