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Dear Hon’ble Chief Justice and Members of the Bench,
I write with deep appreciation and a note of encouragement as the Supreme Court
has made a significant suggestion towards advancing India’s electric mobility
mission.
On 14 November 2025, the Court proposed considering a ban on luxury
petrol/diesel vehicles as a catalyst for cleaner transport and directed the
Government to draw up a roadmap for EV adoption. Hindustan Times
As someone who has been advocating for a comprehensive transition framework
since 2019, I felt compelled to thank the Court for echoing aspects of that
proposal and to emphasise why this is so timely and important.
My earlier suggestion
In March 2019, I published a piece titled
“FAME II > FAME III > FAME IV” on my blog,
in which I outlined a multi-phase policy architecture for electric mobility.
Key proposals included:
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Beyond merely subsidising EV buyers, there must be dis-incentives for
internal combustion-engine (ICE) vehicles (petrol/diesel), especially high-
emission vehicles. myblogepage.blogspot.com+1
-
The idea of a “harm-quotient” tax on vehicles, penalising high-pollution
models, while favouring electric alternatives. myblogepage.blogspot.com
-
Structuring the transition in phases: first, incentivise EV manufacturing and
infrastructure; second, impose targeted restrictions/penalties on high-
footprint ICE vehicles; third, full-scale EV adoption and reduced need to travel
(shared mobility, remote work) in the long-term. myblogepage.blogspot.com
Why the Court’s suggestion resonates
The Court’s recent observation that a ban on high-end ICE vehicles “will not affect
the common man” but will set the tone for wider behavioural and market change
is directly aligned with the logic of targeting the luxury segment first. Hindustan
That is precisely what I had argued years ago: starting the transition at the top
end of the market creates space for the rest of the ecosystem (charging infra,
manufacturing ramp-up, consumer acceptance) to mature.
Furthermore, the Court’s emphasis on the need for a detailed roadmap, charging
stations at existing petrol pumps, and the observation that incentives alone are
not sufficient but must be augmented by market-force and regulatory instruments
is consistent with my 2019 framework. Hindustan Times+1
A gratitude note and a gentle plea
Honourable Judges,
you have provided a powerful impetus to the policy community, industry and the
public by signalling that India must move beyond incentives and address the
other side of the equation — dis-incentives for polluting technology, and phased
regulation of high-emission vehicles.
I sincerely thank you for giving voice to these structural ideas.
At the same time, I respectfully urge that the roadmap include these additional
elements (which I had proposed earlier) for enhanced impact:
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A “feebate” system
— one that imposes a fee on high-emission vehicles and uses the proceeds to
subsidise lower-emission/EV vehicles. (I suggested this in 2019.)
-
Linking infrastructure build-out to regulation
— e.g., mandating that any government or large corporate fleet switching to
EVs must also ensure a minimum density of charging stations; or that
charging infrastructure deployment is contractually tied to the production of
EVs. (My 2019 note under “Wet Leasing” and “manufacturers must invest in
charging stations”.) myblogepage.blogspot.com
-
Time-bound phase-out schedules
of older petrol/diesel vehicles (especially >10 years) and rationalising
subsidies for retro-fitting or scrapping ICE vehicles, to ensure the transition
does not stall with legacy vehicles. myblogepage.blogspot.com
-
Focus on manufacturing + batteries
— while consumer subsidy is necessary initially, the longer-term competitive
advantage lies in domestic manufacturing, battery-technology innovation
(e.g., sodium-ion, aluminium-air) and export potential. (Again from the 2019
blog.) myblogepage.blogspot.com
Final words
The Supreme Court has flagged a vital strategic shift: India must move from
“incentivise only” to “incentivise + dis-incentivise” to achieve a meaningful EV
transition.
You have given the Government a clear directive — and given civil
society, industry and the citizen-consumer a signal that the era of fossil-fuel
vehicles is entering its sunset phase in India.
Thank you for your foresight and for giving credence to long-standing, structural
policy ideas.
I look forward to seeing the roadmap emerge and trust that the
nation will deliver on a phased, pragmatic, equitable and impactful shift to electric
mobility.
With respectful regards and anticipation of India’s greener future,
Hemen Parekh
(Author – “FAME II > FAME III > FAME IV”, March 2019)
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