Himachal Pradesh High Court restrained Shimla Municipal Corporation from levying green tax on vehicles registered outside the state.
While passing this order, a Division Bench comprising acting Chief Justice RB Misra and Justice Surinder Singh observed, the barrier for collecting tax, levy by the municipal corporation on entry of vehicles in Shimla town, without the permission of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and in the absence of quid pro quo cannot be permitted at this stage.
Court direct that till permission is obtained from the national highways authorities and parking facilities are made available; no obstruction of any kind to collect green tax or levy will be made by the Municipal Corporation, forthwith.
The court passed this order on a bunch of petitions challenging the green tax introduced by the Shimla Municipal Corporation on vehicles registered outside the state on the ground that the same is collected without obtaining mandatory clearances from the NHAI. The petitioner further mentioned that the MC was not providing any facility on account of payment of green fee. Newly erected barriers at the four entry points to Shimla for the collection of green tax are resulting in traffic jams, leaving tourists and locals harassed every day.
The court further directed the respondents to file their replies by March 25.
