Tatsat Chronicle Magazine

Tripura High Court Directs the State Government to Frame an Electric Vehicle Policy

The policy is needed for environmental protection through non-carbon fuels, said the division bench comprising Chief Justice Indrajit Mohanty and Justice Satya Gopal Chattopadhyay
December 29, 2021

The Tripura High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to immediately frame a comprehensive policy for electric vehicles (EVs). According to the Court, a policy is required to achieve the objective of environmental protection through the promotion of non-carbon fuel-based vehicles.

The High Court division bench comprising Chief Justice Indrajit Mohanty and Justice Satya Gopal Chattopadhyay passed the verdict while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). “Take urgent steps in the public interest to implement and adopt necessary steps under the scheme of FAME India Phase II issued by the Union of India on March 8, 2019, and frame a comprehensive electric vehicle policy for the State of Tripura in order to achieve the objective of environmental protection through promotion of non-carbon fuel-based vehicles in an efficient and timely manner,” says the court’s order copy.

The judgment came close on the heels of the Tripura government’s decision to formulate Tripura Electric Vehicle Policy 2021 to promote the adoption of EVs across the state keeping the capital city Agartala at the heart of it.

In the petition, the petitioner, one Sudipa Nath, submitted that as many as 13 states in the country have already approved and notified dedicated EV policies to promote the adoption of electric vehicles and Tripura was yet to approve or notify its EV policies for promotion and adoption of electric vehicles.

An ANI report based on other reports said that the issue was discussed in a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Tripura Kumar Alok in October. In the meeting, availability of land cost-effective rates, obtaining a connection for EV charging, and absence of uniform electrical vehicle power tariffs among various other challenges were discussed.

Initially, at least 10 electrical charging stations may be set up in the prominent areas in Agartala, such as Agartala Railway station, airport, Hapania, various motor stands and parking lots, among others.

With the ruling, the Tripura High Court disposed of the petition.