The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Delhi government to release pending subsidies under the Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy, 2020, stressing that bureaucratic hurdles can’t be used to deny consumers the benefits they were promised.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela observed that while funds were available, the administration had failed to disburse them on time. The judges categorically stated that the absence of a specific timeline in the EV policy does not justify indefinite delays.
Dedicated Account Ordered
The Court instructed the Transport Department to create a dedicated bank account to ensure swift transfer of subsidies to eligible beneficiaries. “Payments cannot be stalled on account of procedural issues,” the Bench made clear.
The directive came during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Jan Seva Welfare Society, a registered NGO working on governance and welfare issues. The organisation invoked Article 226 of the Constitution, seeking a writ of mandamus against the government for failing to release subsidy amounts.
The petition highlighted that the delay has impacted thousands of EV buyers who had purchased vehicles in Delhi relying on financial support under the 2020 policy. According to the NGO, the government’s failure not only betrayed consumer trust but also undermined the policy goal of promoting clean mobility.
No Personal Interest, Purely Public Cause
The petitioner clarified that it had no personal stake in the matter. It had learned of the lapses through Right to Information (RTI) applications, which revealed that subsidies remained unpaid despite the availability of funds.
The society, led by President Ajay Aggarwal and Secretary Sanjana Gupta, pointed out that the Government of NCT of Delhi was the authority responsible for policy implementation, while the Transport Department served as the nodal agency for processing claims, maintaining beneficiary records, and ensuring compliance.
The NGO argued that despite these clear roles, thousands of eligible applicants had been waiting for months. The Bench agreed, pressing the government to act without further delay.
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