The Supreme Court on Wednesday modified its August 12 order, which had barred coercive action against diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in the National Capital Region (NCR). The apex court has now clarified that only BS-IV and newer vehicles will be exempt from such action.
A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant passed the order on a request made by the Delhi government, which sought permission to take action against older vehicles in view of the worsening air quality in the national capital.
According to Live Law, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Delhi government, sought a modification of the August 12 order to allow action against vehicles up to the BS-III emission standard. She submitted that the emission standards of older vehicles are very poor and that they significantly contribute to air pollution. The submission was supported by the amicus curiae in the air pollution matter.
Accepting the request, the Supreme Court modified its earlier order, stating, “No coercive steps shall be taken against owners of vehicles which are BS-IV and newer on the ground that they are more than 10 years old in the case of diesel vehicles and more than 15 years old in the case of petrol vehicles.”
In 2015, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had directed that diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years be barred from plying in the Delhi-NCR as an anti-pollution measure. The Supreme Court upheld this ruling in 2018.
In 2024, the Delhi government issued guidelines on managing end-of-life vehicles in public spaces. More recently, it announced that fuel stations would stop supplying fuel to such vehicles from July 1, 2025. However, the decision was later suspended following public backlash. Subsequently, the Delhi government sought modifications to the restrictions, leading to the August 12 order.
