Supreme Court Rules Out Coercive Action Against Owners Of Old Vehicles In NCR

The Supreme Court mandated on Tuesday that no coercive action will be taken against the owners of diesel vehicles over 10 years old and petrol vehicles over 15 years old.

A bench comprising Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and NV Anjaria passed the order after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Delhi government, urging the court to consider ordering no coercive steps.

"Issue notice, returnable in four weeks. In the meantime, we direct that no coercive steps be taken against the owners on the ground that vehicles are 10 years old in respect of diesel vehicle and 15 years old in respect of petrol vehicles," the bench said.

The Commission for Air Quality Management, a central anti-pollution panel for Delhi and neighbouring states, had ordered in July that fuel supply be stopped to vehicles that fall under the "end-of-life" category. However, following backlash and intervention by the Delhi government, the order was deferred till Nov. 1.

Vehicles older than the number of years mentioned in the order were also supposed to be scrapped in keeping with a Supreme Court order from 2018.

"The situation of 2025 is totally different from 2018, and there are many modern technologies available now. We want to apprise the honourable court, and that's why we have filed the review," said Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa to NDTV.

"If a vehicle is polluting, it should be banned, regardless of whether it's five years old or fifteen. Pollution should be the criterion, not the age of the vehicle," he added.