The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) has once again approached the Supreme Court of India seeking extension of BS4 deadline to 31 May, 2020. Back in February, the apex court had rejected a similar application filed by FADA, on the grounds of unsold BS4 inventory and slow moving sales. This time around, FADA seeks an extension citing COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak in the country which has further slowed sales for the BS4 stock.
The application cites that counter sales have dropped by 60-70 per cent across auto dealerships in the country in the past few days as the customer walk-ins have reduced to a trickle over the fear of spreading the virus.
Speaking on the occasion, Ashish Harsharaj Kale, FADA President, said, “Post our initial application, necessitated due to huge unsold BS6 inventory and slowing sales, getting rejected by the Hon’ble apex court on 14th February 2020, there has been a drastic change in circumstances in conducting business as usual. SARS-CoV-2 a.k.a Coronavirus (Covid-19) which emerged in Wuhan in the Hubei province of China has spread rapidly across the globe and also in India. The situation has worsened in the past three-four days with partial lockdown situation in many towns and cities and few district magistrates have started issuing notices of closure of shops and establishments including auto dealerships to stop the spread of virus.”
