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The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear an application seeking to allow vehicles meeting the BS-VI emission standards to operate in the Delhi-NCR instead of a blanket age-based ban on vehicles.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran agreed to examine whether BS-VI compliant vehicles should have an end-of-life period of 15 years for petrol vehicles and 10 years for diesel vehicles in the NCR. The bench posted the matter for hearing next Monday, after an advocate mentioned the application for urgent listing. The advocate stated that a direction from the Supreme Court is necessary to permit such vehicles to continue operating even after their life term has expired, as these periods were established by the court itself. He said the government can't alter it, given the apex court orders relating to curbing pollution. In 2015, the National Green Tribunal directed that diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years should no longer be allowed to operate in Delhi NCR to combat pollution. The apex court in 2018 had upheld the directions of the NGT. Recently, the Delhi government implemented 'No fuel for 15-year-old petrol and 10-year-old diesel vehicles' from July 1, 2025, in compliance with the mandate from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). However, within two days of its implementation, the city government, facing public ire, put it on hold, citing 'operational and infrastructural challenges' as the reasons. (ANI)
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