Delhi Govt Seeks Review Of Supreme Court Order Banning 10 Yr Old Diesel & 15 Yr Old Petrol Vehicles In NCR

The Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi has filed a review petition in the Supreme Court seeking to review a 2018 order passed by the Court, banning 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles in the National Capital Region.

The plea states that such a ban on vehicles would not be necessary as, after 2018, stricter standards of monitoring of emissions and increased coverage of pollution testing have been made applicable. It has also asked in its plea for directing the Union Central Government and the Commission for Air Quality Management to conduct a comprehensive scientific study, evaluating the actual environmental benefits of the age-based ban. 

According to the review plea, there should be a ban based on emissions, rather than the vehicle's age.

Last week, Chief Justice of India BR Gavai agreed to hear on July 28 an application filed by an individual seeking to exempt BS-VI compliant vehicles from the ban. 

In 2015, the National Green Tribunal directed that older vehicles—diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years—should no longer be allowed to ply in Delhi NCR to combat pollution. The NGT direction was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. In 2024, Guidelines for Handling End-of-Life Vehicles in Public Places of Delhi were issued by the Delhi Government.

Recently, the Delhi Government ordered that end-of-life vehicles will not be supplied fuel at petroleum outlets with effect from July 1, 2025. However, this direction was later put on hold following a public backlash.