SC grants interim relief to Delhi owners of end-of-life petrol, diesel cars

The apex court passed the order while hearing the Delhi government's plea seeking review of the ban on 10-year-old diesel vehicles and 15-year-old petrol vehicles in the national capital

In a major relief for many vehicle owners in the capital, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that no coercive action be taken for four weeks against owners of diesel vehicles over 10 years old and petrol vehicles over 15 years old.

 

The directive came from a bench comprising Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and NV Anjaria, which was hearing a Delhi government plea seeking review of the court’s 2018 order imposing the ban.

 

Current rules, set by the apex court in 2018, categorise diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years as end-of-life, effectively barring their use.

 

While issuing notice returnable in four weeks, the bench observed that in the past, people often drove their cars for 40–50 years.

 

Delhi govt questions ban’s rationale

 

The Delhi government has argued that the ban is not based on any scientific study or environmental impact assessment. It cited tighter pollution-control regulations, wider enforcement of the Pollution Under Control (PUC) system, and the nationwide adoption of Bharat Stage-VI (BS-VI) emission norms from 2020.

 

It warned that, under the existing rule, even BS-VI-compliant vehicles could be forced off the roads in a few years without scientific justification.

 

The government further contended that the measure causes arbitrary hardship to residents whose vehicles meet PUC norms.

 

SG seeks halt to coercive measures

Appearing for the Delhi government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta urged the court to stop coercive steps such as vehicle seizure.

 

“I have a vehicle I use only for commuting between my home and court. After 10 years, it will have just 2,000 km on the odometer. Another vehicle used as a taxi may clock 1 lakh km in two years but continue running. Yet, I would have to sell my car simply because 10 years have passed,” Mehta argued.

 

The court will take up the matter after four weeks.