Bajaj Petitions Supreme Court To Enforce April 1 Bharat Stage-IV Deadline
Siddharth Vinayak Patankar
1 min read
Mar 07, 2017, 03:15 AM
Key Highlights
- Bajaj now wants the court to ensure all manufacturers follow the deadline
- Deadline to bring all-new models with BS-IV capability was April 1 2016
- Honda and TVS has already completed this process
At a review hearing at the Supreme Court on Monday, March 6th 2017, a small battle has erupted amongst the two-wheeler manufacturers, and it is one that has been brewing for some days. The court had asked the centre to inform it of what it was doing on petroleum coke and furnace oil, but SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers) was also present on the issue of clean fuels. Bajaj Auto has approached the Supreme Court and informed it that it was prepared to honour the country's Bharat Stage-IV or BS-IV emissions deadline.
In fact Bajaj says it has already begun rolling out only BS-IV motorcycles, well before the April 1 2017 deadline set by the government. Bajaj now wants the court to ensure all manufacturers follow the deadline. The issue goes back to a March 2014 notification by the Indian government stating that "Provided that the two-wheelers manufactured on and after the 1st April 2016 for new types of vehicle models and from the 1st April, 2017 for existing types of vehicle models shall be type approved as per requirements of sub-rule (16)".
The Dominar is the newest bike in the Bajaj fleet which is BS-IV compliant
The sub-rule was of course the one that spelled out India's transition to BS-IV emission standards for all two-wheelers. The strange part of the story is how this has been interpreted differently by various parties involved - with some saying the deadline is to end manufacturing and not selling of BS-III vehicles before April 1 2017. The claim is refuted by Bajaj on the basis that the government did provide the industry a clear window to transition their portfolios to BS-IV by the said date - and given a year to do so.
Honda has already launched the CBR Hornet 160R which comes with a BS-IV compliant engine
After all the deadline to bring all-new models with BS-IV capability was April 1 2016, and it is only the existing models that needed to switch by the same date a year later. Most manufacturers have been launching BS-IV models since last year - everything from the Honda CBR Hornet160R to the Bajaj Dominar and TVS Victor. Bajaj says it began re-launching existing products like the Avenger as far back as September 2016, and had managed to transition its entire new model and existing model portfolio to BS-IV by mid-January 2017. And as of March 1 2017 others like Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) and TVS Motor have also completed the same process - and are only producing BS-IV bikes and scooters.
TVS says, "As part of our plans to gear up for the BS-IV norms, we have completely transitioned to the production of BS IV vehicles as on March 1." But it appears that the industry's combined view is still one that seeks either an extension of the said deadline or some sort of leeway or incentive. This is primarily to clear inventories and stocks of BS-III bikes that are already in the system they say. The Environment Pollution Control Authority or EPCA is firmly against any such move, and agrees with Bajaj Auto. The EPCA was the one to bring this matter to the attention of the court and has been tasked with overseeing its implementation. The EPCA says, "
In fact Bajaj says it has already begun rolling out only BS-IV motorcycles, well before the April 1 2017 deadline set by the government. Bajaj now wants the court to ensure all manufacturers follow the deadline. The issue goes back to a March 2014 notification by the Indian government stating that "Provided that the two-wheelers manufactured on and after the 1st April 2016 for new types of vehicle models and from the 1st April, 2017 for existing types of vehicle models shall be type approved as per requirements of sub-rule (16)".
The sub-rule was of course the one that spelled out India's transition to BS-IV emission standards for all two-wheelers. The strange part of the story is how this has been interpreted differently by various parties involved - with some saying the deadline is to end manufacturing and not selling of BS-III vehicles before April 1 2017. The claim is refuted by Bajaj on the basis that the government did provide the industry a clear window to transition their portfolios to BS-IV by the said date - and given a year to do so.
After all the deadline to bring all-new models with BS-IV capability was April 1 2016, and it is only the existing models that needed to switch by the same date a year later. Most manufacturers have been launching BS-IV models since last year - everything from the Honda CBR Hornet160R to the Bajaj Dominar and TVS Victor. Bajaj says it began re-launching existing products like the Avenger as far back as September 2016, and had managed to transition its entire new model and existing model portfolio to BS-IV by mid-January 2017. And as of March 1 2017 others like Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) and TVS Motor have also completed the same process - and are only producing BS-IV bikes and scooters.
TVS says, "As part of our plans to gear up for the BS-IV norms, we have completely transitioned to the production of BS IV vehicles as on March 1." But it appears that the industry's combined view is still one that seeks either an extension of the said deadline or some sort of leeway or incentive. This is primarily to clear inventories and stocks of BS-III bikes that are already in the system they say. The Environment Pollution Control Authority or EPCA is firmly against any such move, and agrees with Bajaj Auto. The EPCA was the one to bring this matter to the attention of the court and has been tasked with overseeing its implementation. The EPCA says, "
There is no need to give any further extension, as enough time had been given to automakers to ensure they only roll out Bharat Stage 4 vehicles from 1st April. Any Bharat Stage 3 vehicle sold after this period will be 75 times more polluting than a Stage 4 vehicle." The court has heard some arguments and has listed Bajaj's petition for a hearing on the matter on the 20th of March 2017. This is when we will also get some idea of whether or not the deadline will really be met in its entirety or not - either by stopping sales/registration of all BS-III vehicles across India, or by levying a penalty on them for a set grace period.
Related News
Popular Bajaj Models
Latest Cars
Upcoming Cars
Latest News
car&bike Team | Jan 3, 2026New Bajaj Chetak Spotted Ahead Of LaunchFresh images of the new Chetak continue to showcase a hub-mounted electric motor among other changes.2 mins read
car&bike Team | Jan 3, 2026Tata Punch Facelift Teased Ahead Of Launch On January 13The teaser images focus solely on the exterior, marking the first substantial update for the Punch since it was introduced in 2021.2 mins read
Jafar Rizvi | Jan 3, 20262026 Kia Seltos: Variants, Features, Prices ExplainedThe new Seltos is offered in 10 variants and three engine options. Here is a rundown of what each variant has to offer, along with its price, engine and transmission choices, respectively.5 mins read
Hansaj Kukreti | Jan 2, 2026BYD Sealion 7 Electric SUV Price Hiked By Rs 50,000BYD has increased the price of the Sealion 7 Premium by ₹50,000, effective January 1, 2026, taking it to ₹49.40 lakh; pricing for the Performance variant remains unchanged at ₹54.9 lakh, while existing bookings made before December 31, 2025, will retain the old price.1 min read
Janak Sorap | Jan 2, 2026Kawasaki Z1100 Fully Booked for 2026All 20 units of the Kawasaki Z1100 allocated for 2026 are fully reserved. Next bookings batch haven’t been announced yet.1 min read
Preetam Bora | Jan 2, 2026Ducati Panigale V4 R Launched In India At Rs. 84.99 LakhThe Ducati Panigale V4 R is a road-legal superbike, a version of Ducati’s WSBK contender that sits between the Panigale V4 S and Ducati’s MotoGP machines.4 mins read
Amaan Ahmed | Jan 3, 2026VLF Mobster 135 300 KM Review: Fun But FlawedA 125 cc scooter with Italian design and Chinese genes is a rare combination, and while some may be tempted to dismiss it because of its origins, the VLF Mobster shows 125s can also be exciting – but not without compromises.1 min read
Preetam Bora | Dec 30, 2025TVS Orbiter Review: Real-World Performance and Range TestedThe TVS Orbiter is a promising electric scooter promising decent range, practicality and pricing. But is there any reason to avoid it? We spent a few days getting to know it better.9 mins read
Jafar Rizvi | Dec 24, 2025MG Windsor EV 38 kWh Long-Term Report: IntroductionThe Windsor EV has joined our garage, and before it settles into daily duty, I took it out to get a sense of what living with an electric car is like.4 mins read
Seshan Vijayraghvan | Dec 23, 20252026 Kia Seltos Review: Formula Is Spot On, But Is The Timing Right?The 2nd-gen Kia Seltos has arrived, but it has the challenge of facing strong rivals like the Victoris and Sierra. The question is simple - Does it still have what it takes?9 mins read
car&bike Team | Dec 26, 2025Tata Punch EV Long-Term Second Report: Highway Performance, Pros & ConsAfter a week of living with the Tata Punch EV Long Range—including a proper Mumbai-Nashik highway test—we've learned what this little electric SUV is really made of.1 min read