India, July 5 -- Delhi's now-withdrawn rule denying fuel to end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) - diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol ones older than 15 - reflected an intent to tackle the city's air pollution problem. The rule was rooted in a 2015 National Green Tribunal (NGT) order, which was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. However, this age-based approach, applied without considering a vehicle's actual condition or emission levels, raises legal and environmental questions, while placing an undue burden on responsible vehicle owners.

Recently, the Delhi High Court stayed the scrapping of a car seized from private property without notice. The case highlighted a growing concern: citizens losing well-maintained, emission-compliant...