Karnataka has over 39 lakh vehicles older than 20 years
New Delhi, Jul 30: Delhi has more than 36 lakh vehicles older than 20 years, the second highest in the country after Karnataka, which has over 39 lakh such vehicles, the Centre said on Friday.
Responding to a query in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Environment Ashwini Choubey said there are 2,14,25,295 vehicles older than 20 years in the country.
He said these figures exclude vehicles in Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Lakshadweep as they are "not in centralised Vahan 4 portal".
While Karnataka has 39,48,120 vehicles older than 20 years, Delhi has 36,14,671, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 26,20.946 such vehicles, as per the data shared by the minister in a written response.
Kerala recorded 20.67 lakh 20-year-old vehicles, Tamil Nadu has 15.99 lakh such vehicles and Punjab 15.32 lakh vehicles, he said.
On being asked about pollution caused by these vehicles, Choubey said no assessment has been made regarding the pollution caused by these vehicles in the country.
The number of 20-year-old vehicles in Delhi assume significance as the Supreme Court had ruled in 2018 that any registered diesel vehicle more than 10 years old, and any petrol vehicle over 15 years old cannot operate in NCR. These rules have been laid down in various orders issued by the NGT (2015) and the Supreme Court (2018).
However, earlier this year, the Centre had proposed a new draft vehicle-scrapping policy, which will allow owners to use their old vehicles after a fitness test and on payment of a higher fee.
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22 states sue to block Trump’s order ending birthright citizenship
Attorneys general from 22 states have filed a lawsuit challenging former President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship, a policy that grants citizenship to all individuals born on U.S. soil, regardless of their parents' immigration status. The order, issued Monday, has sparked significant debate and is expected to lead to a prolonged legal battle.
Birthright citizenship, protected under the 14th Amendment, has been a cornerstone of U.S. immigration policy since its ratification in 1868. The amendment states, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” Trump’s order, however, seeks to reinterpret this provision, excluding children born to individuals in the U.S. illegally or temporarily and those whose fathers are non-citizens or lack lawful permanent residency.
The order is set to take effect on February 19, prompting 18 states, the District of Columbia, and the city of San Francisco to file suit in federal court. Critics argue that the executive order oversteps constitutional bounds and undermines settled law.
New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin emphasized that presidential authority is not absolute. "The president cannot, with a stroke of a pen, erase the 14th Amendment," Platkin said. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, who is a birthright citizen, called the lawsuit deeply personal, stating, “This is about protecting the fundamental rights enshrined in our Constitution.”
The Trump administration has defended the order, dismissing the lawsuit as “an extension of the Left’s resistance.” The White House insists that the current interpretation of birthright citizenship requires reform to address immigration challenges.
Immigration advocates and legal experts warn that the order could destabilize long-established citizenship rights, particularly for children born to undocumented or temporary residents. Gladys Vega, President of La Colaborativa, criticized the move during a press conference, describing it as a direct attack on constitutional protections.
