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yesterday

Supreme Court Puts Aravalli Ruling on Hold, Orders Fresh Expert Review

The court seeks an independent reassessment to resolve scientific disputes over the height-based criteria before further directions.

Referring to the long-running environmental litigation in TN Godavarman Thirumulpad case, the Supreme Court delivered a 29-page judgement in the suo motu matter.
The Aravalli hills act as a vast, fractured rock sponge that captures monsoon rain and recharges groundwater aquifers. (HT Archive)
The top court decided to revisit the contentious issue of what constitutes the Aravallis and proposed forming an expert panel to comprehensively examine questions.
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Overview

  • A vacation bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant kept the November 20 judgment and the MoEF&CC committee recommendations in abeyance.
  • Notices were issued to the Union government and the Aravalli states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat and Delhi, with the next hearing on January 21, 2026.
  • The bench proposed a high-powered committee of domain experts to re-examine prior reports and conduct a multi-temporal study of the landscape.
  • Judges questioned whether the 100‑metre hill threshold and the 500‑metre range rule could shrink protection, enable unregulated mining in gaps, and break ecological continuity.
  • Public protests and political criticism followed the earlier definition, and mapping exercises or policy changes tied to it are paused pending the new review.