New Delhi, Nov. 14 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday suggested that the Centre consider banning high-end luxury vehicles powered by petrol and diesel as a starting point for India's transition to electric mobility, observing that such a move would not affect the common man and could set the tone for a wider shift toward cleaner transport. A bench of justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi urged the Centre to draw up a roadmap for the promotion and phased implementation of electric vehicle (EV) policies across India, as it heard a public interest petition seeking effective enforcement of India's electric mobility policy. According to the bench, since bigger electric vehicles are now available in the market, the shift toward cleaner mobility could begin by restricting the use of internal combustion engine vehicles in the luxury segment. "Now even large and high-end electric cars are available in the market, which can be as convenient as the other gas guzzlers used by many VIPs and big companies.Think of imposing a ban on very high-end petrol or diesel vehicles first. It will not affect the common man because only a small part of the population can afford them," the bench observed. Responding to the court's observation, Attorney General R Venkataramani said that the government was "alive to the issue" and supportive of such measures. "Thirteen ministries are involved in this matter, and on the implementation level, it requires a lot of attention," the AG told the bench, adding that a detailed report will be placed before the court specifying the notifications issued and the progress made in promoting electric mobility. The bench, while adjourning the matter for four weeks, directed the Centre to file the report. "The learned attorney general informs that 13 ministries are actively participating in the project for promotion and adoption of electric vehicles. Post the matter after four weeks," the order said. The petition, filed by the Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) through advocate Prashant Bhushan, has sought court directions for time-bound implementation of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) and NITI Aayog's 2018 Zero Emission Vehicles framework, both aimed at promoting electric mobility and curbing vehicular pollution. Bhushan argued that the government's declared EV policies have not been effectively implemented despite their potential to reduce emissions and improve public health. "The proposal of NITI Aayog was to provide upfront cost subsidies and tax exemptions for EVs, mandate all government vehicles to be electric, and ensure adequate charging infrastructure. But today, the lack of charging points remains a major bottleneck," he said. To this, the bench responded that while incentives and infrastructure were crucial, the shift to electric mobility was also influenced by "market forces". It noted that petrol pumps, bus stations, and other public transport facilities could easily accommodate charging points to improve accessibility. At the same time, the court acknowledged that India's complete transition to EVs was a "major policy decision" requiring careful consideration of affordability and access. "These are not small issues. Affordability across segments has to be factored in," said the bench, concurring with the AG. The bench, however, pointed out that the NEMMP was notified more than a decade ago and five years have already passed since the 2020 policy review. "Even the policy may need to be revisited. Somewhere you have to start a pilot project -- maybe in metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru," the bench said. Venkataramani assured the court that the matter was under active review. "I have had several meetings with authorities. Implementation requires focussed attention," he said....