Delhi HC refuses to grant permit for renewing registration of 15-year-old petrol car

The Delhi High Court has refused to grant permission for the renewal of registration of a petrol car, which is over 15 years of age, for the purpose of plying in Delhi-NCR in view of orders passed by the NGT and the Supreme Court.

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said according to the Delhi government's policy, a no-objection certificate can always be obtained by the petitioner for the transfer of the vehicle, subject to other norms, in areas that are permitted in terms of the orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Supreme Court.

"In view of the orders passed by the NGT as also the Supreme Court, the petitioner cannot seek renewal of the registration of the petrol vehicle after completion of 15 years for the purposes of plying in Delhi-NCR," the court said.

It said the relief sought by the petitioner cannot be granted and dismissed the plea.

The court's order came on a plea moved by a man, seeking a declaration that a public notice issued by the Delhi government's transport department relating to non-renewal of registration of more than 15-year-old petrol-run vehicles is arbitrary.

The petitioner sought that the registration of his Honda City car be renewed if the fitness of the vehicle and the pollution emission norms are within the automotive industry standards of 2021.
His car was originally registered in February 2006. It completed 15 years in April 2021.

The court said a perusal of the 2018 public notice showed that it was issued pursuant to orders passed by the NGT in 2014 and 2015, by which it had prohibited the plying of petrol vehicles of more than 15 years of age and diesel vehicles of more than 10 years of age in Delhi-NCR.

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The court noted that the public notice also records the Supreme Court's October 2018 order, which had directed that more than 10-year-old diesel vehicles and over 15-year-old petrol vehicles shall not be allowed to ply in the National Capital Region (NCR) in terms of the NGT order.