Written by Nikhil GhanekarNew Delhi | December 10, 2025 04:20 AM IST 3 min readThe CAQM has sought a review of these orders in submissions made to the SC in an affidavit filed on Tuesday, ahead of a December 10 hearing on the air pollution issue.Seeking a review of the Supreme Court’s August 12 order, which paused coercive action against end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) to curb air pollution in Delhi-NCR, the Commission for Air Quality Monitoring (CAQM) has urged that Bharat Standard (BS) III compliant vehicles and earlier models be kept out of the order’s purview due to their emission potential, The Indian Express has learnt.The CAQM has also sought a review of the SC’s 2016 order that raised the 1% environment protection charge on luxury diesel cars and sports utility vehicles with engine capacities of 2,000 cc and above.The CAQM has sought a review of these orders in submissions made to the SC in an affidavit filed on Tuesday, ahead of a December 10 hearing on the air pollution issue.The submissions assume significance in light of the public outcry over SC’s April order on refusing fuel to all overage vehicles.The CAQM, it is learnt, has stressed that more than 15 years have passed since BS III norms were enforced and nearly 25 years since BS II standards took effect, using this timeline to justify the need to restrict movement of older vehicles.In data submitted to the SC, the Commission has pointed out that of the 2.88 crore vehicles plying on Delhi-NCR’s roads, 93% are light motor vehicles (LMV) and two-wheelers. Overall, there are 37% (BS) III compliant vehicles and earlier models.Comparing the higher emission potential of older vehicles, CAQM has said that diesel vehicles of BS III standard and below emit 2.5 times to 31 times more Particulate Matter, 6.25 times to 12 times more nitrogen oxides, and 1.28 times to 5.4 times more carbon monoxide. The BS III and earlier models of petrol vehicles also emit 2.5 times to 16 times more nitrogen dioxide and 2.3 times to 2.72 times more carbon monoxide, the CAQM is learnt to have submitted.Story continues below this adOn April 23, CAQM had issued directions to all petrol pumps to refuse fuel to ELVs from July 1, but the order was put on hold after the SC paused coercive action while hearing a review plea filed by the Delhi government in the matter.The Delhi government had argued before the SC that road-worthiness of a vehicle must be linked to actual emissions as tested and recorded under the Motor Vehicles Act, rather than imposing an age-based blanket ban.Before the review in SC, it had requested CAQM to put on hold its directions citing public discontent as well as operational and infrastructural challenges, and argued that the order may be counter-productive. On Delhi government’s request, CAQM had deferred the order.The CAQM’s order to phase out end-of-life vehicles was passed in the backdrop of a 2015 NGT order that directed that no diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years would ply in Delhi-NCR. The SC had upheld the NGT’ order in 2018.An award-winning journalist with 14 years of experience, Nikhil Ghanekar is an Assistant Editor with the National Bureau [Government] of The Indian Express in New Delhi. He primarily covers environmental policy matters which involve tracking key decisions and inner workings of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. He also covers the functioning of the National Green Tribunal and writes on the impact of environmental policies on wildlife conservation, forestry issues and climate change. Nikhil joined The Indian Express in 2024. Originally from Mumbai, he has worked in publications such as Tehelka, Hindustan Times, DNA Newspaper, News18 and Indiaspend. In the past 14 years, he has written on a range of subjects such as sports, current affairs, civic issues, city centric environment news, central government policies and politics. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Delhi air pollution