Lawyers' Body Pleads for Court Staff Exemption in Delhi Vehicle Ban

New Delhi, October 30: Concerned over a proposed vehicle ban scheduled to come into force on November 1, the Delhi High Court Bar Association has written to the Acting Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court. Its President, N. Hariharan, has sought the court's intervention and requested a blanket exemption for judges, lawyers and court staff.

The proposal under consideration by the Delhi government would stop vehicles that do not meet BS-6 emission norms from running on Delhi roads from November 1, 2026. It also gives the Delhi Traffic Police the power to seize such vehicles.

The BS-6 emission standards were introduced in 2020. Hariharan pointed out in his letter that the transport department and the Supreme Court have, through different orders, permitted older vehicles to operate for set durations. Diesel vehicles are allowed up to 10 years and petrol vehicles up to 15 years.

The DHCBA president said that a significant number of lawyers travel to Delhi courts every day from Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad and other nearby cities. He also said that high housing costs in the capital mean that many lawyers, judges and court employees live in these neighbouring towns.

Hariharan stated that judges, advocates and court staff are part of an essential service, namely the delivery of justice. In his view, they should be placed outside the scope of the proposed restriction so that judicial functioning does not suffer.

He has urged the Acting Chief Justice to bring the matter to the attention of the Delhi government and help secure exemption for people working within the judicial system. The letter closes with a hope for a favourable response and an expression of gratitude to the Acting Chief Justice.