Supreme Court halts legal proceedings against proprietors of ten-year-old diesel automobiles and fifteen-year-old gasoline vehicles in Delhi.
Supreme Court Halts Coercive Action Against Older Diesel and Petrol Vehicles in Delhi
In a significant development, the Supreme Court of India has issued an interim directive that prohibits coercive action against the owners of diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in Delhi. The decision comes as the Court considers a review petition filed by the Delhi government.
The directive, issued by a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai, along with Justices K Vinod Chandran and K.V. Anjaria, temporarily suspends enforcement of the ban, including police action and vehicle impounding, pending resolution of the review plea.
The original ban, stemming from a 2015 National Green Tribunal (NGT) order upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018, sought to control air pollution by prohibiting diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years from operating in Delhi-NCR.
The Delhi government has argued for a review, citing practical hardships and advocating for a pollution control policy based on emissions testing rather than vehicle age alone. The Supreme Court's interim directive reflects this shift in perspective.
As of August 2025, diesel and petrol vehicle owners affected by the ban are protected from punitive measures until further orders by the Supreme Court. The directive applies specifically to vehicles in Delhi and includes coercive action such as fines, impounding, and other penalties.
The directive also applies to owners of petrol vehicles older than 15 years in Delhi. The case that prompted this directive is MC Mehta vs. Union of India. The Supreme Court will hear the matter again after about four weeks, following which a final decision may be made.
[1] The Indian Express
[2] The Hindu
[4] The Times of India
[5] NDTV
[1] "The shift in the Supreme Court's perspective on pollution control policies, as seen in the recent interim directive on older diesel and petrol vehicles, is generating a wave of discussion in the realm of environmental science and policy-and-legislation, gracing the front pages of general news outlets like The Indian Express."
[2] "Amidst the political debates surrounding air pollution and climate-change, the Indian Supreme Court's latest directive on the operations of older diesel and petrol vehicles in Delhi, whether it signals a lenient or practical approach, is making headlines in newspapers such as The Hindu."
[4] "The Times of India reports on the recent interim directive by the Supreme Court of India that suspends coercive action against older diesel and petrol vehicles in Delhi, underscoring the intersection of science, politics, and policy-and-legislation in responding to climate-change and environmental concerns."
[5] "NDTV covers the controversial interim directive by the Supreme Court that allows older diesel and petrol vehicles to operate in Delhi, raising questions about the efficacy of current environmental regulations and prompting a broader discussion on climate-change, environmental-science, and policy-and-legislation."
