Unwell after morning walk... CJI Surya Kant warns of smog impact; CAQM withdraws GRAP III from Delhi NCR
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant voiced concern over Delhi's toxic air after feeling unwell during a morning walk, as the Supreme Court considered virtual hearings. Meanwhile, CAQM withdrew GRAP Stage III restrictions after slight improvement in the capital's air quality.
New Delhi: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Wednesday drew sharp attention to Delhi’s worsening air pollution, revealing that he felt unwell after a morning walk and signalling that the Supreme Court may consider shifting to virtual-only hearings, particularly for senior advocates, if conditions deteriorate further.
Meanwhile, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Wednesday withdrew Stage III (Severe category) restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR with immediate effect.
His remarks surfaced during a hearing on petitions challenging the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across states including Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal. The broader discussion quickly turned to the health impact of Delhi’s toxic air, after senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi sought exemption from physical appearance.
"I have congestion issues… Please allow my colleague to take notes. I want to appear through video conferencing on the next date," Dwivedi told the bench, adding that he felt unwell following a morning walk. "I want your lordships’ leave. Permission may be given to appear online, I am not well," he added.
Supporting the concern, senior lawyer Kapil Sibal remarked, "At our age, we are breathing this obnoxious air when the Air Quality Index (AQI) is 400-500.”
Virtual appearance for lawyers aged 60 and above
CJI Surya Kant acknowledged the growing anxiety within the legal fraternity, saying, "Yesterday, I went for a walk for an hour. I was not feeling well." He noted that the court could consider virtual appearances for lawyers aged 60 and above, but assured that any decision would be taken in consultation with the Bar.
"If I take any decision, we will take the bar into confidence first. We will see the hardships faced by lawyers and litigants," he added. "If we get a proposal, we will act accordingly. I will meet office-bearers in the evening and take some steps."
The discussion came on a day when Delhi-NCR recorded a slight improvement in air quality, prompting a significant administrative move.
In a parallel development, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Wednesday withdrew Stage III (Severe category) restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR with immediate effect. The decision followed a review of the capital’s air quality trends and forecasts by the IMD and IITM.
The CAQM sub-committee noted that Delhi’s AQI has shown steady improvement for the past four days and was recorded at 327, which is still in the "very poor” category but significantly lower than recent "severe” levels. Forecasts suggest the AQI is likely to remain in the "very poor” bracket in the coming days.
On this basis, the sub-committee revoked the GRAP Stage III orders issued on 11 November 2025.
However, Stage I and Stage II measures will continue without relief. Enforcement agencies have been instructed to ensure strict compliance so that the AQI does not slip back into the "Severe” or "Severe+” category.
The CAQM also clarified that construction and demolition sites shut down earlier for violations will not be allowed to resume operations without special permission from the Commission. These curbs remain crucial to preventing any fresh spike in pollution levels.