The Supreme Court has declined to provide interim stay on the HC's decision, endorsing the judgment of the Calcutta High Court for banning 15-year-old vehicles in the city from August 1. The HC had directed the West Bengal government to implement notification dated July 17, 2008 to phase out transport vehicles for keeping the environment pollution free and to maintain mass emission standards.

A three-judge bench of Chief Justice K. G. Balakrishnan, and Justices P. Sathasivam and B. S. Chauhan, declined to stay the HC's order dated July 18, 2008 and March 17,
2009, and decided to hear the special leave petition (SLP) filed by the Bengal Bus Syndicate and others on August 10.

Meanwhile, the state government, led by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, reviewed the transport policy in the wake of the SC recent decision. Sumantra Choudhury, additional chief secretary, department of transport, said: "The chief minister took stock of the situation and asked me to take steps so that the inconvenience to the people because of the green drive is minimized. But things will be tough for commuters in the coming months."