Delhi Old Age Vehicle Ban: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has addressed the ongoing debate around the ban on older vehicles in the capital region. She emphasized that rules regarding old cars should be implemented uniformly across the country, rather than singling out Delhi. According to her, if an old vehicle is still operating properly or is fit and does not contribute to pollution, it should be allowed to operate without restrictions.
The issue has been a controversial topic in Delhi-NCR for some time. Vehicles that have crossed certain age limits face bans on running within the city, with petrol cars over 15 years old and diesel vehicles older than 10 years being targeted. However, the Delhi government has challenged this blanket restriction, calling it unscientific and unfair. The matter is now before the Supreme Court, which is set to review the ban and its underlying rationale on Monday (July 28, 2025).
A bench led by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran will hear the case. A key question will be whether vehicles that meet Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) emission standards should still be subject to age-based bans, even if they remain environmentally compliant.
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What Did CM Rekha Gupta Say?
Speaking on the formula for granting relief to owners of older vehicles, CM Rekha Gupta made her stance clear, as reported by Jagran.com, she said, “If an old vehicle is fit and pollution-free, there should be no restrictions on its use.” She criticized previous administrations for neglecting environmental concerns, which forced courts to intervene and impose these age limits. The current government, she said, is fully committed to improving Delhi’s air quality and wants the courts to recognize that. “Polluting vehicles should be scrapped regardless of age, but if a vehicle has a valid fitness certificate and is not polluting, it deserves an exemption,” she added.
The Delhi government has formally petitioned the Supreme Court to reconsider the ban. Earlier this month, the state had implemented a “No fuel for old vehicles” policy starting July 1, 2025, effectively restricting fuel access to these cars. However, due to widespread public opposition and protests, the government paused the policy just two days after its launch. Many residents argued that if their older vehicles passed fitness and pollution checks, it was unfair to prohibit their use simply based on age.