A man, suffering from a rare genetic disorder caused by ultraviolet (UV) light, today moved the Delhi High Court for using solar control black films in his car despite the apex court's verdict banning these for the common people with VVIPs, facing security threats, as the only exception.
Taking a sympathetic view of the plea, the court asked the Centre to apprise it as to whether it was also mulling an idea to exempt such persons besides the VVIPs.
"People like the petitioner should be exempted, who have a genuine reason. Is it that your (Centre's) committee which is looking into the issue relating to exemption on the security grounds to some protectees, also considering the case which has been put before this court," a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal asked the counsel for the Centre.
It further said that the issue needs consideration and, therefore, the government should file its status report on a plea by Vipul Gambhir, who is suffering from xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), which is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder of DNA repair in which the ability to repair damage caused by UV light is deficient.
It said the reply of the Centre should be filed before the next date of hearing -- May 3.
29-year-old Gambhir has moved the court seeking a direction to the authorities concerned and its officers not to take any steps against him for using solar control black films for the windscreens and side glasses of his four wheeler.
He further said that due to his disease, the doctors have advised him to use solar control film since his condition had deteriorated due to exposure to UV radiation.
Concerned over rising instances of criminals using black films for windscreens and side glasses of four wheelers, the Supreme Court in April 2012 had directed the states and Union territories to strictly enforce the ban on use of the tint beyond the permissible limit.
Manufacturers may produce the vehicles with tinted glasses which provide for 70 per cent visual light rransmission (VLT) for safety glasses on windscreen (front and rear) and 40 per cent VLT for side glasses, the apex court had said.
Subsequently, a committee was constituted to discuss the issue relating to exemption on security grounds to certain categories of protectees from the apex court order banning the black films on the vehicles.
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