New Delhi, Delhi
A fresh legal dispute has emerged over the treatment of ageing diesel vehicles in the Delhi-NCR region after the owner of a luxury Volvo XC60 approached the Supreme Court, alleging that he has been denied a Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate despite his vehicle successfully passing the mandatory emission test. The petitioner claims that the software used at PUC centres automatically rejects diesel vehicles that have completed 10 years of registration, regardless of their actual emission levels.
According to the petition, the Volvo XC60 meets all prescribed emission standards during pollution testing. However, the owner alleges that the computerized system at authorized PUC centres refuses to generate a valid certificate solely because the vehicle has crossed the 10-year age limit applicable to diesel vehicles in Delhi-NCR.
The petitioner argued that the inability to obtain a PUC certificate has created practical difficulties in using the vehicle. He informed the court that several fuel stations have reportedly refused to provide diesel without a valid PUC certificate, effectively restricting the vehicle’s operation even though it has passed the emission test.
During the hearing, senior advocate Rakesh Khanna, appearing for the petitioner, submitted the matter before a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant. He argued that premium vehicles such as Volvo models are engineered for a longer operational lifespan and should not automatically be treated as unfit for use solely on the basis of their age.
Khanna contended that applying an age-based restriction without considering a vehicle’s actual emission performance could result in significant financial losses for owners of well-maintained vehicles. He maintained that vehicles complying with prescribed pollution norms should not be denied essential regulatory certificates because of a software limitation.
The petition further states that operators at PUC centres informed the petitioner that their software is programmed not to issue certificates for diesel vehicles that have exceeded the prescribed age limit. According to the plea, the system automatically blocks certificate generation even if the vehicle successfully clears all pollution tests.
The case has also raised questions about the implementation of environmental regulations through automated systems. The petitioner argues that if a vehicle satisfies the required emission standards, denying a PUC certificate solely due to its age creates a conflict between technical compliance and administrative procedures.
The matter assumes significance in light of previous Supreme Court observations concerning ageing vehicles. The petitioner has argued that earlier judicial directions indicated that action should not be based solely on the age of a vehicle without considering other relevant factors. The plea contends that the present software-based restriction may be inconsistent with the spirit of those observations.
Legal experts believe the case could have wider implications for thousands of diesel vehicle owners in the Delhi-NCR region, particularly regarding the role of automated regulatory systems in implementing court orders and environmental policies. The Supreme Court’s eventual ruling may provide clarity on whether compliance with emission standards can override software-based restrictions linked to vehicle age.
The matter is currently before the Supreme Court, and further directions from the Bench are expected during the next hearing. The outcome could influence how pollution certification systems are implemented for older vehicles and whether existing software protocols require modification to align with judicial and regulatory requirements.
