Delhi Petrol Pumps Approach High Court Against Penalties For Supplying Fuel To End-of-Life Vehicles

The Delhi High Court has sought a response from the Delhi government on a petition filed by the Delhi Petrol Dealers Association, which has challenged the prosecution of fuel pump owners for supplying fuel to End of Life Vehicles (ELVs), which are petrol vehicles aged above 15 years and diesel vehicles aged above 10 years.

Justice Mini Pushkarna, while issuing notice on the petition to the respondents, granted liberty to the fuel pump owners to bring the matter to the Court's attention if they are penalised under the policy. The case will be heard next on September 8.

The policy, which has been formulated to curb vehicular population in the National Capital Region, came into effect from July 1, 2025.

The petrol dealers association argued that while they do not oppose restrictions on supplying fuel to ELVs and are willing to cooperate, they are aggrieved with the "excessive, irrational and disproportionate liability" fastened upon them by seeking to prosecute and penalise them under Section 192 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, even in situations where non-compliance may be due to sheer inadvertence.

They argued that the SOP has burdened the petrol pump owners and their attendants with the additional responsibility of implementing the said rule without them being necessarily equipped or authorized under any law to carry out such a responsibility.

According to them, the orders are arbitrary, irrational, unreasonable and disproportionate for the reason that they seek to penalise the petrol pump owners for acts which may arise from sheer inadvertence and for reasons which are beyond the control of the petrol pump owners and their attendants.

Case : Delhi Petrol Dealers Association v Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi and another W.P.(C) 8855/2025

Click here to read the order