The Supreme Court has extended its previous "interim order" instructing the government not to import Indian vehicles based on Self Certification until the final hearing on 12 March. The two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya issued the order on 20 February. (For more on Self Certification, see India-Nepal, NT #31 and Artha Beed, NT #26.)

The Court had issued a two-week ban on Indian vehicles on 12 January and asked the defendants to present themselves in court within 15 days. Three non-governmental organisations Pro-public, Martin Chautari and Leaders Nepal filed the writ seeking the order on 26 December. The petition challenges the government's decision to allow the import of India-made vehicles on the basis of Self Certification, which they say is against the Nepal Mass Vehicle Emission Standard-2056 (BS). The government says Self Certification was allowed to Indian vehicle makers, because Nepal allows other car making countries the same privilege. Nepal's emission standard requires both "Type Approval" and "Conformity of Production" (COP) for importing vehicles. The fight is over whether the COP issued by Indian companies is acceptable.