Delhi HC refuses interim stay on ban on non-BS-VI vehicles from outside Delhi

The Delhi High Court on Monday declined to grant interim relief against the Delhi government's restriction on the entry of vehicles registered outside the national capital that do not meet BS-VI emission standards. The restriction came into force on November 1 as part of the city's winter pollution-control measures.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma issued notice on a petition challenging the government's notification and directed that it be tagged with another pending matter. The court listed the case for further hearing on November 27.

The petition challenges the ban on non-BS-VI compliant vehicles registered outside Delhi, arguing that the restriction is arbitrary and discriminatory.

Seeking an interim stay, the petitioner contended that vehicles registered in Delhi would continue to be allowed on the roads even if they do not meet BS-VI emission standards, while similar vehicles registered in neighbouring states would be barred from entering the capital.

The plea argued that this distinction violates Article 14 of the Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law. It maintained that vehicles with identical emission standards should not face different treatment based solely on the state in which they are registered.

The restriction will remain in force until January 31, 2027. Under the notification, vehicles registered outside Delhi that do not comply with BS-VI emission norms will not be allowed to enter the capital.

However, BS-VI-compliant vehicles, along with those running on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and electricity, have been exempted. Ambulances, fire tenders and certain vehicles involved in specified essential services are also outside the scope of the restrictions.

According to Transport Department estimates, more than 10 lakh vehicles across Delhi-NCR, including Noida, Greater Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad and Ghaziabad, do not meet BS-VI emission standards. The restrictions are expected to affect commuters travelling to Delhi from neighbouring cities for work, business and other purposes.

Meanwhile, authorities are strengthening checks at the capital's entry points. They plan to deploy Artificial Intelligence-powered Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to identify vehicles that may not meet the required emission standards and help officials verify their compliance.

The monitoring system is expected to cover routes connecting Delhi with neighbouring areas, particularly Noida, Gurugram and Ghaziabad.

(With IANS inputs)