Delhi HC to hear seven PIL’s challenging #OddEven rule on January 6, 2016

It may only last for two weeks, but the odd-even rule on Delhi cars has already resulted in at least seven petitions before the Delhi High Court. In fact, the court has sought an explanation from the Delhi government with respect to two petitions, one of which has been filed by Manoj Kumar, Managing Partner at Hammurabi & Solomon..In his PIL (WP 11808/2015), first heard by the High Court on December 23, Kumar has alleged that the odd-even scheme is arbitrary in nature, unfairly targets private vehicles (instead of commercial ones), and does not take into consideration the plight of those travelling from the surrounding satellite towns such as Noida and Ghaziabad..According to Kumar, the High Court “advised” the Delhi government to consider the points raised in the PIL before finalising the odd-even scheme, and that if this was not done, Kumar was free to move the court’s vacation bench..On December 28, when the Delhi government published the odd-even notification (read notification), Kumar found that the contentions raised in the PIL were not considered. Hence he approached the vacation bench of Hima Kohli and Sunil Gaur JJ..On December 30, the said vacation bench issued notice to the Delhi government, seeking a reply within three days as to whether Kumar’s contentions were considered while making the odd-even scheme. This was one of the three PILs that were heard by the court on that day..The bench also sought an explanation as to why cars driven by women, and two-wheelers were exempted – this was in relation to another PIL (WP 12352/2015) filed by Karuna Chhatwal..The third PIL (WP 12353/2015) heard on the same day was filed by advocate Rahul Aggarwal, seeking an exemption of lawyers from the scheme. According to a PTI report, the bench declined this plea stating that,.“if it allows them to use their vehicles then this court will be flooded with litigation from doctors and other officials, who have not been included in list of 25 exempted categories”.All three PILs, along with four others as per the PTI, are now listed for further hearing on January 6, 2016.