Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced that her government will approach the Supreme Court seeking relief from the ban on refuelling end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) in the city, arguing that the current enforcement, restricted to Delhi alone, is impractical and unfair to residents. Rekha Gupta emphasised that while the government supports pollution control, implementing the ban only within Delhi while neighbouring NCR regions continue to supply fuel to such vehicles creates confusion and inconvenience for people.
Currently, as per the 2018 Supreme Court judgement and a 2014 National Green Tribunal (NGT) order, 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles are considered ELVs and are prohibited on Delhi roads and from being parked in public spaces. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) issued an order in April to begin denying fuel to these vehicles in Delhi from July 1, while the enforcement in other NCR cities like Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, and Sonipat is set for November 1, with the rest of NCR implementing the ban from April 2026.
Government Cites Practical Difficulties
Speaking at a government event, CM Rekha Gupta criticised previous administrations for failing to address pollution, which led the judiciary to take harsh measures. She pointed out that Delhi lacks the infrastructure, such as adequate cameras and enforcement mechanisms, to fully implement the fuel ban on ELVs effectively. Rekha Gupta highlighted that without a unified approach across NCR, denying fuel solely in Delhi would be ineffective as vehicles could refuel in neighbouring cities and continue to operate within the capital.
On July 3, just two days after starting the enforcement drive, the Delhi government sent a letter to the CAQM requesting the suspension of the enforcement of the ELV fuel ban, citing practical challenges and the need for a uniform policy across the NCR. The CAQM has yet to respond to the request, and the ban, although halted in enforcement, technically remains in effect.
Delhi to Seek Uniform Policy Across NCR
CM Rekha Gupta confirmed that her government would present the concerns of Delhi residents before the Supreme Court, requesting the court to consider the pollution control measures already undertaken by the Delhi government in the past four months and to advocate for uniform regulations across the country, including Delhi. She emphasised the government’s commitment to ensuring that the citizens do not face unnecessary hardship while pollution control measures are enforced.
Delhi’s environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa supported the Chief Minister’s stance, stating that the government had already followed the Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena’s suggestion to approach the CAQM and would also proceed with other recommendations, including approaching the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to reconsider the enforcement strategy for ELVs. Sirsa noted that since the policy’s introduction, over 80,000 vehicles have been scrapped in Delhi, demonstrating the government’s active steps towards pollution control while maintaining sensitivity to public inconvenience.
The LG had earlier written to CM Rekha Gupta, urging the government to take up the matter with the CAQM for reconsideration and to keep the directions in abeyance until the entire NCR was ready to enforce the ban uniformly. The letter also advised communicating with the Ministry of Roads and Highways to highlight regulatory challenges and filing a review petition before the Supreme Court, considering the recent initiatives by the Delhi government and the changed circumstances.
While the ban on refuelling ELVs in Delhi continues to exist legally, the government’s approach to the Supreme Court indicates a move towards seeking balanced enforcement that aligns with the realities of a connected NCR and aims to prevent selective hardship on Delhi residents while continuing efforts to control pollution effectively.
