Supreme Court Orders Delhi Government to Fill Pollution Control Vacancies
Supreme Court's Directive on Pollution Control Vacancies
The Supreme Court reprimanded the Delhi government on Monday regarding the unfilled positions in the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, instructing it to complete all appointments by September of this year.
A bench comprising Justice Abhay S. Oka and Justice Ujjwal Bhuiyan noted that out of a total of 204 vacancies, only 83 have been filled so far. The bench stated, “We cannot tolerate the Delhi government's laxity, especially when the city is severely affected by air pollution. We direct the state to ensure that all 204 vacancies are filled by September 2025. A status report must be submitted by October 15. Failure to fill these positions will be considered a serious contempt of court.”
The apex court also mandated that the Delhi government initiate the recruitment process for the upcoming vacancies six months in advance. During the hearing, the lawyer representing the Delhi government requested six months to fill the positions, assuring that they would be completed by the end of the year.
However, the court questioned, “Why wait until the end of the year? The board is established by the government. It cannot claim it needs six months to fill the positions. The affidavit does not specify when the process will begin or when advertisements will be published.”
The Supreme Court described the situation as unfortunate and previously reprimanded the governments of Delhi and neighboring states—Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan—on May 8 for not filling vacancies in their pollution control boards. Following this, it issued contempt notices to the chief secretaries of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan for failing to comply with its August 2024 order, which required them to fill vacancies by April 30 of this year.
The court highlighted that 55 percent of positions in the Delhi Pollution Control Committee remain unfilled, calling it shocking that the body is “virtually inactive.” It issued notices to officials, demanding explanations for non-compliance under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.
Additionally, the Supreme Court instructed the chief secretaries to clarify why they should not be penalized under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971. The court also took note of the 21 percent vacancies in the Central Pollution Control Board, directing them to be filled by August 2025.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court emphasized the shortage of officials in the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and directed the central government to ensure these vacancies are filled by August 2025.