The New Indian Express ·
'Waiting for my retirement?': CJI rejects Aravalli panel's request seeking extension till Feb 2027
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday came down heavily on the Aravalli High-Powered Committee for seeking a six-month extension to submit its final report on the definition and protection of the Aravalli Hills and warned the court would reconstitute the panel if it fails to meet the new deadline.
A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana directed the five-member panel headed by ICFRE Director General Kanchan Devi to submit its report by November 30, rejecting its request to extend the deadline till February 28, 2027.
"Let the panel work day and night to submit a report on the Aravalli issue. If they are unable to do that in two months, we will reconstitute the whole panel," the CJI observed.
The apex court-appointed high-powered committee had sought six months, saying it needs more time for a "comprehensive and defensible" assessment of the Aravalli range.
During the hearing on Monday, an irked CJI remarked that the committee was waiting for his retirement. "They should have clearly asked for a date after my retirement. It appears they are waiting for my retirement. We are not going to allow this," CJI told Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati appearing for the Centre.
"The high-powered committee has sought extension till February 28, 2027, with first stroke of pen. We reject this plea," the bench recorded.
It is to be noted that CJI Kant retires on February 9, 2027.
The panel has been tasked to evolve a uniform definition of Aravalli hills and range and suggest safeguards against illegal mining. The court asked it to file issue-specific interim reports so urgent matters can be taken up without waiting for the final report.
The Bench further directed comprehensive consultation with all the stakeholders, including the tribal communities in Rajasthan and Gujarat who could be impacted.
In its compliance report on August 31, the panel said it needed to collate spatial, ecological, geological, hydrological, socio-economic and stakeholder evidence.
The court will take up the matter next for further hearing on December 2.
The committee, constituted through an order dated May 25, has been conducting an independent review of the Centre’s report on the definition and delineation of the Aravallis.
The matter originated from the Supreme Court’s November 20, 2025 ruling on mining activities in the Aravalli region. A Bench headed by then Chief Justice of India B R Gavai approved an elevation-based criterion suggested by an expert committee to identify the Aravalli Hills and Range for the purposes of regulating mining.
Under the formula accepted by the court, a landform in the Aravalli districts would qualify as an Aravalli Hill if it rose at least 100 metres above the surrounding local terrain. Two or more such hills located within a distance of 500 metres were to be treated as part of the Aravalli Range.
The court endorsed restrictions on mining in core and ecologically sensitive areas but stopped short of imposing a blanket prohibition. It reasoned that an outright ban could instead encourage unauthorised mining and result in the criminalisation of activities that could otherwise be regulated.
The definition subsequently came under intense criticism, with environmentalists and other stakeholders arguing that the elevation-based test could exclude a substantial portion of the Aravallis from legal protection.
There were concerns that more than 90 per cent of the region could effectively fall outside the safeguards and become vulnerable to mining.
Amid the controversy, the top court revisited the issue. On December 29, 2025, a bench headed by CJI Surya Kant put the November 20 ruling on hold and suspended the implementation of the earlier expert committee’s recommendations.
The bench observed that several of the concerns surrounding the judgment appeared to arise from uncertainty or lack of clarity in the directions issued by the Court. It also indicated that a fresh, independent assessment of the ecological consequences of the proposed demarcation may be necessary.
The court thereafter decided to constitute a new expert body to examine the issue afresh and recommend an appropriate methodology for identifying and defining the Aravalli Hills and Range.
(With inputs from PTI)