The Supreme Court is set to hear a petition filed by the Delhi government, led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, challenging the complete ban on old vehicles in the Delhi-NCR region. The current rule, based on a Supreme Court order from 29 October 2018, makes it illegal for diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years to run in the region.These old vehicles are called End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs). 

As defined by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), ELVs are vehicles that are no longer legally valid or fit for use. This includes vehicles that have failed their fitness test at Automated Fitness Centres, whose registrations have been cancelled under the Motor Vehicles Act, or have been declared unfit by a court. ELVs are not allowed to run on the roads and may even be seized by authorities.

This rule was strongly backed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in its 2014 order, which said all vehicles, whether petrol or diesel, that are more than 15 years old should be removed from the roads to control pollution.
However, the Delhi government now wants the court to reconsider this blanket ban. They argue that instead of banning vehicles based only on age, a more scientific and fair system should be followed. They say each vehicle’s fitness should be checked based on its actual emission levels rather than its age.

Their petition reads, “A proper policy is needed that checks pollution levels of individual vehicles, not just how old they are.” They also pointed out that newer Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) engines release less pollution compared to older BS-IV engines, which were the standard when the original order was passed. A three-judge bench, likely headed by Chief Justice BR Gavai, will be hearing the matter. The Delhi government hopes that the court will allow a more flexible, data-based approach rather than an age-based ban alone.