The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the Delhi government over its failure to fill crucial vacancies in the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), warning that further delays would amount to “aggravated contempt.”
A bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan noted that only 83 out of the 204 sanctioned posts in the DPCC had been filled, leaving over half the positions vacant. “We cannot tolerate the laxity shown by the Delhi government especially when Delhi is worst affected by air pollution,” the court remarked sternly.
Setting a clear deadline, the bench directed the Delhi government to ensure all 204 vacancies are filled by September 2025. The government is required to submit an affidavit confirming compliance by October 15, failing which the court said it would initiate contempt proceedings.
The court also instructed the state government to start the recruitment process for future vacancies at least six months in advance. During the hearing, Delhi government’s counsel sought time until the end of the year to complete the hiring, but the bench rejected the proposal, questioning the lack of specifics in the state’s affidavit regarding timelines for advertising the posts and starting the recruitment process.
“This is a sorry state of affairs,” the bench observed, reiterating concerns it had expressed earlier this month when it issued contempt notices to the chief secretaries of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan for failing to comply with the court’s August 2024 order, which had mandated filling all vacancies in pollution control bodies by April 30, 2025.
The Supreme Court pointed out that 55% of posts in the DPCC remain vacant, rendering the statutory body “virtually defunct.” It also took note of 21% vacant positions in the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and directed that they be filled by August 2025.
Further, the court ordered the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to conduct a study into the current functioning, technology, and equipment used by State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and committees. The CAQM must submit its recommendations by the end of July 2025, which will then be reviewed by the CPCB and pollution control bodies of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh for implementation.
Finally, the top court highlighted staff shortages within the CAQM itself and directed the Central Government to ensure all its vacancies are filled by August 2025.
The case will continue to be monitored, with the court signaling its intent to hold authorities accountable for any further negligence in enforcing environmental governance.
