The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear on July 28 a petition challenging the applicability of end-of-life limits for BS VI-compliant vehicles in the National Capital Region (NCR), which currently restrict petrol vehicles to 15 years and diesel vehicles to 10 years of usage.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran listed the matter after it was urgently mentioned by the petitioner’s counsel, who contended that the government cannot unilaterally impose lifespan restrictions that effectively override the Supreme Court’s earlier rulings on pollution control.
Arguing for immediate consideration, the counsel asserted that BS VI-compliant vehicles — which adhere to the latest and most stringent emission standards in India — should not be subjected to the same age-based disposal rules as older, more polluting vehicles. The advocate emphasized that any alteration to these limits without judicial scrutiny could undermine the Court’s environmental jurisprudence and regulatory framework on vehicular emissions in Delhi.
The case raises critical questions about the balance between environmental protection and technological advancement in the automobile sector, and whether age-based bans remain justified when cleaner fuel standards are already in place.
The plea will be taken up for detailed hearing on July 28.
