NEW DELHI (REUTERS) - India's top court has ordered a temporary ban on the sale of large diesel cars in New Delhi and hiked a levy on trucks entering the city, as the country's highly polluted capital seeks ways to tackle one of its worst ever bouts of toxic smog.

According to local television stations, an order passed by the Supreme Court on Wednesday (Dec 16) bans the registration of new diesel luxury cars and sport-utility vehicles with an engine capacity of 2,000cc or more in Delhi and the surrounding region from Jan 1 to March 31.

The court stopped short of banning smaller cars.