The Supreme Court on Wednesday modified its August 12 order to allow authorities to take coercive action against owners of 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles with BS-III or lower emission standards in the National Capital Region, including Delhi.
The bench acted on recommendations from the Commission for Air Quality Management, which reported that the earlier protection order had allowed highly polluting vehicles back on roads, worsening the region’s air quality crisis.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice Vipul M Pancholi clarified that protection continues for newer vehicles. “The August 12, 2025 order is modified to the extent that no coercive steps shall be taken against the owners of BS-IV and newer emission standard vehicles on the ground that they are 10-year old diesel and 15-year old petrol vehicles,” the court ruled.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati presented the CAQM’s findings, noting that BS-I, BS-II, and BS-III vehicles still operating in Delhi-NCR pose significant health risks given current pollution levels.
The commission observed that BS-III vehicles have been plying for over 15 years, BS-II vehicles for more than 20 years, and BS-I vehicles for over 24 years.
The CAQM emphasized that Delhi-NCR faces extraordinary conditions during winter due to poor pollutant dispersal. Vehicular pollution remains among the most significant contributors to the region’s chronically poor air quality.
Light motor vehicles and two-wheelers constitute approximately 93% of vehicles in the NCR. The commission had earlier directed denial of fuel to all end-of-life vehicles from November 1, 2025, with expansion to five high-density NCR districts from April 2026.
