NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has filed a petition with the Supreme Court, requesting a reconsideration of the ban on ‘End-of-Life Vehicles’ (ELVs). It argues that the policy unfairly impacts middle-class vehicle owners, especially in the absence of solid scientific evidence to support its effectiveness.
This comes in the wake of a 2018 Supreme Court ruling and a subsequent National Green Tribunal order that mandates the phase-out of petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years in the NCR.
Delhi government officials argued that these age-based standards overlook advancements in vehicle emissions technology, especially considering the April 2020 introduction of Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) standards.
The application filed by the government said, “The roadworthiness of a vehicle is a technical and scientific issue that must be linked to actual emissions as tested and recorded by mechanisms set out under the Motor Vehicles Act, the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, etc., as opposed to a blanket ban on the basis of age, which is unlinked to actual emissions.”
The application notes that other nations, such as the European Union, Japan, and the United States of America, do not impose age-based bans and instead adopt a measured and sustainable approach that addresses both pollution and urban decongestion holistically.
Environment Minister Majinder Singh Sirsa mentioned that the government’s review application emphasises the need for data-backed assessment, rather than broad limitation, on the actual emissions produced by each vehicle, regardless of its age.
The government argued that the ban unfairly impacts owners of well-maintained vehicles, ignoring factors like usage, upkeep, and PUC compliance, the plea stated. The Delhi government’s petition highlights that around 2.8 million BS-IV and BS-VI vehicles are registered in the city. It also stated that the current age-based ban could exclude compliant vehicles.
It has further prayed that the Court direct the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to conduct a comprehensive scientific study on environmental benefits, the fairness of such a blanket ban, and if such a ban will improve the air quality in NCR.