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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed that no coercive action will be taken against owners with 15-year-old petrol and 10-year-old diesel vehicles in Delhi. The issue was heard by a bench led by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justices Vinod K Chandran and NV Anjaria.
Following the hearing of the matter, a notice was issued on the Delhi government’s application challenging the ban on diesel and petrol vehicles in the national capital. The Court said, “Issue notice returnable in 4 weeks. In the meantime, no coercive steps to be taken against the owners of cars on the ground that they are 10 years old in respect to diesel vehicles and 15 years old with respect to petrol vehicles.”
In four weeks, the whole issue will be heard again. The order was passed in an application filed by the Delhi government that sought a review of the apex court’s 2018 order that had blamed the 15-year-old petrol and 10-year-old diesel vehicles for pollution in NCR.
Back in July, the Delhi government, led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, had issued a “no fuel for old vehicles” policy. In the light of public backlash, though, the policy was paused just 2 days after its announcement.
The government cited logistical hurdles and gaps in infrastructure that prevent it from imposing the ban effectively. The Commission for Air Quality Management issued a directive to impose a ban on refuelling end-of-life vehicles across Delhi-NCR from November 1st. The ban was then challenged by the Delhi government in front of the Supreme Court, noting that the restrictions were devoid of scientific backing.
The NCT government’s petition also sought a review of the 2018 order that had been passed by the Supreme Court that banned the said vehicles in Delhi-NCR.
The ban on old vehicles dated to 2015 following the National Green Tribunal directive that said older vehicles shouldn’t be allowed to function in Delhi-NCR to fight pollution levels in the capital. This 2015 order was upheld by the Supreme Court back in 2018.
