New Delhi: Vehicles that do not meet BS-IV emission standards will not be allowed into Delhi-NCR directed on Wednesday, modifying its August 12 order – which barred coercive action against diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years.
The Court took this decision after being informed that vehicles not confirming to BS-IV standards are adding to the pollution in Delhi-NCR. The bench also directed the shift of toll plazas from Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) areas to those under the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). This will help in curbing congestion and pollution.
The bench of 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, as reported by Live Law.
Additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati, for the Delhi Government, sought a modification of the August 12, 2025, order to permit action against vehicles up to BS-III.
“Older vehicles, their emission standards are very poor, and they are adding to the pollution,” the 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 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),” the Court ruled.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had directed, in 2015 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.
Recently, the Delhi government ordered that end-of-life vehicles will not be supplied with fuel at petroleum outlets with effect from July 1, 2025. However, this direction was later put on hold following a public backlash.
Later, the Delhi Government sought modification of the ban, and the August 12 order was accordingly passed.
