B Badrinath

The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to hold an urgent hearing of a plea challenging the Delhi high court’s order allowing, on trial basis, the odd-even policy for private cars for 15 days here.

Declining to hold an early hearing of the plea, the bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur wondered if the plea by a young advocate was a publicity stunt.

Why a young advocate is having difficulty in reaching the court, the court observed. The plea was moved by petitioner advocate B Badrinath.

The odd-even policy, under which private cars with registrations ending in even numbers could ply only on even dates, and vice versa for those with odd-numbered plates, was announced by the state government from January 1-15 after the Delhi high court said the national capital had turned into a gas chamber.