New Delhi, September 3 (HS) : The Delhi High Court has directed the city government to expedite subsidy payments promised to consumers purchasing electric vehicles under the 2020 Electric Vehicle Policy. The bench, headed by Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya, observed that the government cannot evade its responsibility on the grounds that the EV policy did not specify a strict timeline for disbursal.

During the hearing, the court noted that while funds are available, bureaucratic hurdles and procedural complexities were causing unnecessary delays in subsidy payments. The court instructed the Delhi Transport Department to maintain a dedicated bank account exclusively for subsidy transfers to ensure faster disbursal and avoid payment backlogs.

The petition, filed by Jan Seva Welfare Society, highlighted that several buyers of electric vehicles in Delhi had yet to receive the subsidy promised to them. As per the 2020 EV Policy, subsidies were introduced as an incentive mechanism with the larger aim of ensuring that 25% of all newly registered vehicles in the city are electric.

The petition further stated, citing information obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, that subsidy payments worth ₹48 crore were still pending.

In response, counsel for the Delhi government argued that subsidies worth over ₹179 crore had already been disbursed to more than 78,000 beneficiaries, and only a fraction of payments remained.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar