In a major relief for vehicle owners in Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region (NCR), the Supreme Court has ordered that no strict action should be taken against owners of diesel vehicles over 10 years old and petrol vehicles over 15 years old.
The court passed this direction while hearing a case filed by the Delhi government, which challenged an order by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).
That order aimed to stop fuel supply to older vehicles and enforce their scrapping, based on a 2018 Supreme Court ruling.
In July, CAQM, the central body responsible for fighting pollution in Delhi and nearby states, issued an order to apply the 2018 rules.
It planned to cut fuel supply to “end-of-life” vehicles and ensure they were scrapped. However, after public protests and pressure from the Delhi government, the enforcement of this rule was postponed to November 1.
The Delhi government argued that things have changed since 2018. They believe pollution levels, not the age of the vehicle, should decide whether a vehicle should be taken off the road.
Supreme Court’s Interim Order
A bench led by Chief Justice BR Gavai, along with Justices K Vinod Chandran and NV Anjaria, sent notices to the Central Government and CAQM, asking them to respond within four weeks.
Meanwhile, the court clearly stated that no forceful action should be taken against owners based only on how old their vehicles are.
Chief Justice Gavai’s bench said:
“IN THE MEANTIME, WE DIRECT THAT NO COERCIVE STEPS BE TAKEN AGAINST THE OWNERS ON THE GROUND THAT VEHICLES ARE 10 YEARS OLD IN RESPECT OF DIESEL VEHICLES AND 15 YEARS OLD IN RESPECT OF PETROL VEHICLES.”
What the Delhi Government Says
Delhi’s Environment Minister, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, said that the government believes the focus should be on how much a vehicle pollutes, not just its age.
“IF A VEHICLE IS POLLUTING, IT SHOULD BE BANNED, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT’S FIVE YEARS OLD OR FIFTEEN,” Sirsa stated, adding that modern emission control technology is now available.
What This Means
This case could lead to a shift in how India handles vehicle pollution laws.
While many environmental experts support strict measures to control pollution in Delhi — one of the world’s most polluted cities — the court’s order may encourage technology-based solutions instead of banning vehicles just because of their age.
The case will be taken up again after the Centre and CAQM submit their replies.
