Supreme Court banned black films for windscreens and side glasses of four wheelers in 2012 (File)
A man, suffering from a rare genetic disorder caused by ultraviolet (UV) rays, today moved the Delhi High Court to allow him to use solar control black films in his car, which have been banned due to security threats.
Taking a sympathetic view of his plea, a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar asked the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to state whether it was mulling any proposal to exempt such persons besides VVIPs.
It issued notice to the ministry and directed them to file their response in six weeks and listed the matter for further hearing on January 17 next year.
The high court said the reply was necessary on the 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.
30-year-old Gambhir has moved the court seeking a direction to the authorities not to take any step against him for using solar control black films for the windscreen and side glasses of his car.
He said that due to his disease, 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 the use of the tinted glasses beyond permissible limits.
Manufacturers may produce vehicles with tinted glasses which provide for 70 per cent visual light transmission (VLT) for safety glasses on windscreen (front and rear) and 40 per cent VLT for side glasses, the apex court had then 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.