The Supreme Court was apprised on Tuesday that from November 1, 2025, only BS-VI compliant CNG, LNG, and electric goods vehicles—light, medium, and heavy—will be allowed entry into Delhi, with the exception of those already registered in the city.

Appearing before a Bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati detailed the Centre’s efforts to combat vehicular pollution in the NCR, including restrictions issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). The matter was heard in the ongoing case of MC Mehta v. Union of India concerning Delhi’s air pollution.

Amicus Curiae Aparajita Singh informed the Court that CAQM has filed a positive affidavit outlining measures to tackle vehicular emissions. ASG Bhati elaborated on Direction 88, which restricts vehicle entry, and Direction 89, targeting the phase-out of end-of-life (EoL) vehicles.

Bhati stated that non-BS VI commercial transport vehicles carrying essential goods will be granted entry only until October 31, 2026, after which only CNG, LNG, and EVs will be permitted.

On the issue of overage vehicles—diesel vehicles over 10 years and petrol vehicles over 15 years—she said over 61 lakh EoL vehicles are in Delhi, with significant numbers in adjoining states. These will be targeted using Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras at fuel stations, which will deny refueling to such vehicles. This restriction will be enforced:

• From July 1, 2025 in Delhi,

• From November 1, 2025 in five NCR districts (Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, Sonipat), and

• From April 1, 2026 in the rest of the NCR.

Legal action, including impounding, will follow under the RVSF Rules, 2021, and other applicable policies.

ASG Bhati also referred to CAQM Advisory No. 17, which calls on all NCR governments and public institutions to transition to cleaner vehicles—EVs, CNG, strong hybrids, and flex-fuel models. The Ministry of Finance has also advised government departments to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles in favour of EVs.

Efforts are underway to strengthen the EV ecosystem, she added, with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) notifying safety and performance standards to support manufacturing, and the Ministry of Heavy Industries reporting a significant uptick in electric vehicle hiring in the last two years.

Justice Oka requested Bhati and Singh to suggest grassroots-level implementation mechanisms in the next hearing, referencing past chaos at entry points during the enforcement of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

The Court took on record CAQM’s brief and an index of office memorandums and data regarding EV adoption. It observed that Directions 88 and 89, issued on April 23, 2025, are steps in a positive direction and stated it will soon issue implementation orders. In the meantime, all state governments and public authorities have been directed to submit data on EVs hired or purchased in the last five years.

Case Title: MC Mehta v. Union of India