A new case related to 10 year old diesel vehicles has come to light in Delhi-NCR. The owner of a luxury car has approached the Supreme Court. A Delhi resident owns a Volvo XC-60 diesel car worth around ₹70 lakh. They say that despite the vehicle passing the emission test, it is not being given 'Pollution Under Control' (PUC) certificate.
It is alleged that the software of the PUC center refuses to issue the certificate only on the basis of the age of the vehicle. As a result, the case has reached the Supreme Court and is ready for hearing. Let us understand whether pollution certificates will no longer be issued for vehicles older than 10 years.
What is the whole matter?
A Delhi resident, who owns a 2016 model BS-IV Volvo car, has filed a petition in the Supreme Court. He claims that his car meets all the pollution related norms, yet after completion of 10 years, the PUC center is refusing to issue a new PUC certificate for the car. He said that the PUC certificate issued in November 2025 was valid till February 25, 2026; However, as soon as 10 years were completed, a new certificate for the vehicle was refused.
What was the car owner's complaint?
The car owner says that due to lack of PUC certificate, he is facing difficulties in filling fuel in the car at different petrol pumps. Their argument is that the vehicle passes the pollution test as per all the rules, hence it is unfair to deny the certificate merely on the basis of the age of the vehicle.
What was the earlier order of the Supreme Court?
On October 10, 2018, the Supreme Court had ordered a ban on plying of 10 year old diesel vehicles and 15 year old petrol vehicles on the roads. After this, while hearing the petition of Delhi Government, the court had put an interim stay on its earlier order on 12 August 2025. The court had said that no strict action would be taken against the owners merely on the basis of the age of the vehicle. Subsequently, in an order dated December 17, 2025, the Supreme Court clarified that no strict action will be taken against 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles with BS-IV or better emission standards.
Now what is the problem?
Despite the Supreme Court order, the software of PUC centers is working as per the old rules. As soon as the vehicle crosses the prescribed age limit, the system refuses to issue the PUC certificate. Delhi government has made valid PUC certificate mandatory for filling fuel from 17 December 2025. As a result, vehicles which are not able to get PUC certificate are not being given fuel at many petrol pumps.
Will pollution certificates not be issued for vehicles older than 10 years?
In Delhi-NCR, the rules related to PUC (Pollution Under Control) certificate for 10 year old diesel and 15 year old petrol vehicles are not clear. The Supreme Court had earlier clarified that strict action would not be taken against vehicles with BS-IV or higher standards on the basis of age alone, but many vehicle owners say that the PUC centre's software does not issue a certificate after the age limit is reached – even if the vehicle passes the emission test. Due to this, in some cases there are problems in filling the fuel. This matter is to be heard in the Supreme Court, which can provide more clarity about the rules.