Delhi moves Supreme Court seeking review of ban on ‘end-of-life’ vehicles

The Bharatiya Janata Party government in Delhi moved the Supreme Court on Friday seeking a review of its 2018 order, which enforced a blanket ban on petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years in the National Capital Region, reported Live Law.

“The road-worthiness of a vehicle is a technical and scientific issue that must be linked to actual emissions as tested and recorded by mechanisms, as opposed to blanket ban on the basis of age,” the Delhi government argued in its petition, according to The Indian Express.

The Rekha Gupta-led government also said that age-based restrictions are no longer justified.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai will hear the matter on Monday.

Though well-intentioned, the ban had “caused numerous practical hardships to the citizens of Delhi, which today, in light of the advancements in technology and enforcement now prima facie appear to outweigh the prudence and feasibility of continuance of the said ban”, stated the government.

It added that advancements in vehicle technology, widespread implementation of Pollution Under Control norms and the rollout of Bharat Stage VI engines “suitably address the concerns” that had prompted the top court to pass its judgement.

The government also requested that the Union Government or the Commission for Air Quality Management be directed to...

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