SC stays action against owners of older diesel and petrol vehicles in Delhi-NCR.
Delhi government challenges ban on vehicles over 10/15 years.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed all coercive action against owners of older diesel and petrol vehicles in Delhi-NCR, pending further hearings.
A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and N V Anjaria passed the order after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Delhi government, requested that no coercive measures be taken in the meantime.
"Issue notice, returnable in four weeks. In the meantime, we direct that no coercive steps be taken against the owners on the ground that vehicles are 10 years old in respect of diesel vehicle and 15 years old in respect of petrol vehicles," the bench said.
The Delhi government had moved the Supreme Court to challenge the blanket ban on diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years.
A 42-year-old Ghaziabad resident who drives to work in Delhi every day told Outlook, "The decision is a relief but the entire rule of not being able to use petrol or diesel cars after fifteen and ten years, respectively, is unfair. Are working women, whose offices mostly don't provide transport, all expected to buy new cars," she said. As long as the vehicles meet pollution norms, they should not be phased out.
The ban on diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years was imposed as part of efforts to curb rising air pollution levels in the Delhi-NCR region.
These restrictions aim to phase out older, more polluting vehicles to improve air quality in the capital and surrounding areas. However, the blanket nature of the ban has faced criticism for affecting vehicle owners without considering individual vehicle conditions or alternatives.
(With inputs from PTI)
