New Delhi, Oct 30 (IANS): The collection of environment compensation charge (ECC) from commercial vehicles entering Delhi from 127 entry points will commence from midnight of October 31 as the Supreme Court refused on Friday to postpone the date from November 1 to December 1.

An apex court bench comprising Chief Justice H.L. Dattu and Justice Amitava Roy, while directing the hearing of the plea by toll collector SMYR Consortium Ltd seeking postponement of the toll collection from November 1 to December 1, said that the collections would commence from November 1 as directed earlier on October 9.

Appearing for SMYR Consortium Ltd, senior counsel Sham Diwan urged the court to postpone the collection citing difficulties that needed to be sorted out before commencing work.

SMYR Consortium Ltd collects toll on behalf of three of Delhi's civic bodies.

However, additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta appearing for North Delhi Municipal Corporation opposed the plea for postponement saying the collection of ECC was for larger public good and could not be postponed due to the for some difficulties of SMYR Consortium Ltd.