Supreme Court refuses plea challenging Delhi govt. policy to scrap vehicles over a decade old

The Supreme Court on October 25 refused to entertain a plea challenging a policy of the Delhi government to scrap diesel and petrol vehicles older than 10 years and 15 years, respectively

The Supreme Court on Friday (October 25, 2024) refused to entertain a plea challenging a policy of the Delhi government to scrap diesel and petrol vehicles older than 10 years and 15 years, respectively.

A Bench headed by Justice Abhay S. Oka advised petitioner Nagalakshmi Laxmi Narayanan to file a representation before the appropriate authority and pursue a proper legal course.

The petitioner has challenged the Delhi government’s “guidelines for handling end-of-life vehicles in public places of Delhi” issued on February 20, 2024, in compliance with the 2015 order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

“The applicant purchased a vehicle prior to the NGT’s 2015 order, and paid full taxes and registration fees for 15 years. The retrospective application of the guidelines to vehicles purchased before the 2015 order is arbitrary, violates the applicant’s legitimate expectation, and deprives the applicant of their right to property under Article 300A of the Constitution,” the plea had claimed.

The intervention was sought in the MC Mehta batch of cases filed in 1985 seeking directions to check pollution in the National Capital and adjoining areas.

The plea, filed through advocate Charu Mathur, said with the scrappage policy mandating early retirement of “overaged” vehicles, owners were not compensated for the unused portion of the registration fees.