Treating it as a special case, the state government has approved the purchase of 63 new cars for judges of the Bombay High Court. Notably, the vehicles will be petrol- and diesel-powered, deviating from the state’s policy that prioritises electric vehicles (EVs) over those using conventional fuel.
The exemption from purchasing the electronic vehicles was sought by the high court administration, and the state environment and climate change department has treated it as a special case before giving its nod.
While purchasing the new cars, all the 63 existing cars will be deposited with the finance department, says a government resolution (GR) issued by the government.
Each car will cost Rs 25 lakh, which is the state ceiling for the purchase, including the cost of the vehicle, temporary registration charges and accessories. The GST applicable will be paid separately, the GR says. The total cost of the purchase is around Rs15.75 crore.
Since the cost of all the vehicles is more than Rs1 crore, those will be procured through the e-tendering process. The state has also made it clear that the new vehicles are meant for the use of judges only.
According to the state government policy, preference is to be given for electric vehicles instead of petrol or diesel ones. It was not known why the HC administration wanted vehicles with traditional fuel instead of electric.
