Supreme Court Allows Ban Of 10-Year-Old Diesel & 15-Year-Old Petrol Vehicles Below BS-IV In Delhi NCR

Modifying its August 12 order -which barred coercive action against diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in the National Capital Region - the Supreme Court on Wednesday (December 17) clarified that action can be taken against such vehicles that meet emission standards below BS-IV.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul Pancholi passed the order at the request of the Delhi Government, which sought action against older cars in view of the air quality crisis in the national capital.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, for the Delhi Government, sought a modification of the order passed on August 12, 2025, to permit action against vehicles up to BS-III. "Older vehicles, their emission standards are very poor, and they are adding to the pollution," ASG said.

Senior Advocate Aparajita Singh, the amicus curiae in the air pollution matter (MC Mehta Case), also backed the ASG, saying "BS-IV came in 2010, and BS-III models are before that."

The bench dictated that the August 12 order is modified "to the extent that no coercive steps shall be taken against owners of vehicles which are BS-IV and newer on the ground that they are above 10 years old (in case of diesel engines) and 15 years old (in case of petrol engines)."

In 2015, the National Green Tribunal directed that older vehicles—diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years—should no longer be allowed to ply in Delhi NCR to combat pollution. The NGT direction was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. In 2024, Guidelines for Handling End-of-Life Vehicles in Public Places of Delhi were issued by the Delhi Government.