The Supreme Court is reviewing a challenge regarding the denial of Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates in Delhi-NCR. Authorities currently refuse these certificates to diesel vehicles older than 10 years based strictly on age, even if the vehicle passes emission tests. This policy effectively blocks owners from refueling, rendering their vehicles inoperable. The case questions whether age-based bans override compliance with current emission standards.
A legal dispute has reached the Supreme Court regarding the rules for older vehicles in the Delhi-NCR region. A vehicle owner has filed a petition challenging the current practice where authorities deny a Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate to vehicles that have passed their age limit, regardless of whether the vehicle meets actual emission standards. The case, which involves a premium Volvo model, highlights a growing conflict for owners of well-maintained vehicles that are technically compliant but barred from use.
Under existing Delhi-NCR regulations, diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years are restricted. The core issue raised in court is that automated software at pollution testing centers blocks the issuance of a PUC certificate for any vehicle exceeding these age limits. Without a valid PUC certificate, owners are effectively prevented from purchasing fuel at petrol pumps, which renders the vehicles completely inoperable regardless of their mechanical condition or emission test results.
The petitioner argued that this automatic denial contradicts a Supreme Court directive issued in 2025. That previous order had indicated that end-of-life vehicles in the region should not face coercive action if they successfully meet BS-IV or BS-VI emission norms. The legal challenge seeks clarity on whether compliant vehicles should receive an exemption from the age-based restrictions or if the age limit remains a strict, non-negotiable barrier.
For many vehicle owners, this policy creates a significant financial risk. High-end cars, which are engineered for long-term use and often maintained to high standards, face the threat of forced scrapping or loss of resale value due to these regulatory hurdles. The current situation creates uncertainty for owners who have invested in vehicles that remain mechanically sound but face administrative blocks that prevent their day-to-day use.
The upcoming Supreme Court hearings are expected to provide more clarity on how these regulations are applied. The key monitorable for stakeholders will be whether the court allows any flexibility for compliant, older vehicles that can prove they meet environmental standards. Until a final decision is reached, owners of older diesel and petrol vehicles in the region continue to face the risk of their vehicles becoming unusable due to the current software-driven certificate denials.