Supreme Court wants government to promote EVs amid high air pollution

Against a backdrop of worsening air pollution in the national capital, the Supreme Court on Thursday, November 13, 2025, observed that it might be high time to revisit the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) 2020 to promote electric vehicles and even launch a pilot project in metro cities.

Appearing before a bench headed by Justice Surya Kant, lawyer Prashant Bhushan of the NGO Center for Public Interest litigation said the government should give incentives to encourage consumers to switch to electric-powered vehicles. He pointed out that an electric vehicle is more costly than a fossil fuel-powered vehicle. He said the government should lead the way by switching to fully electric vehicles.

Solicitor General R. Venkataramani, on behalf of the Centre, said the switch to fully electric vehicles was an important policy decision. Judge Kant said that five years have passed since NEMMP 2020.

“Now even the policy may need to be reconsidered. You can start a pilot project in metropolitan cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Madras.” [Chennai] or Bengaluru,” Justice Kant argued and listed the case four weeks later.

The petitioner NGO had sought timely implementation of the Electric Vehicle Policy and the plan for Faster Adoption and Production of Indian Hybrid and Electric Vehicles.

During the hearing of the case in February 2020, the apex court observed that the problem of vehicular pollution is largely related to the fuel used in vehicles and this affects not only Delhi but the entire country.

In a related development, Supreme Court judge Justice PS Narasimha, who was presiding over another bench on Thursday, November 13, 2025, asked the lawyers to appear in court virtually. Justice Narasimha advised the lawyers to take note of the worsening pollution in the national capital and not to physically appear in court. The judge said masks may not be enough to prevent health risks from airborne toxicity.