The Delhi High Court has pulled up the state government for delaying subsidies promised to electric vehicle (EV) buyers and directed that payments be released without further excuses.
A bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhayaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said procedural hurdles cannot be used as a shield to withhold funds that are already allocated.
“The government is taking shield of the fact that the Delhi Electric Vehicles Policy does not provide any fixed timeline for disbursal of subsidy. Such a ground, in our opinion, is not available for the government,” the bench observed.
The court noted that while sufficient funds were available, the government had been holding back disbursement due to procedural issues. It directed the transport department to immediately set up a dedicated bank account for subsidy disbursal and ensure that eligible beneficiaries receive their dues at the earliest.
The order came while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Jan Seva Welfare Society, which argued that many EV buyers in Delhi were yet to receive their promised subsidies under the Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy, 2020. The petition said this delay was undermining both consumer trust and the broader goal of promoting clean mobility in the capital.
The High Court stressed that promoting electric vehicles is a matter of public interest and directed the government to act swiftly in addressing the backlog.
