Aravalli definition: Supreme Court seeks names of environmental specialists for expert committee

The Supreme Court of India on Thursday asked the Central government to suggest names of environmental and forest experts who can be part of the committee to re-examine the contentious definition of the Aravalli Hills.

A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M Pancholi also extended the interim stay it had imposed earlier on mining activities in Aravallis.

The Court was hearing the suo motu case it had initiated concerning the definition and demarcation of the Aravalli range.

The Court today sought assistance in identifying suitable experts to form a committee of specialists in environmental and forest-related disciplines to help it examine and resolve the preliminary issues in a phased and structured manner.

“We request the ministry to suggest a panel of domain experts along with their profile. Senior counsel are also requested to give profiles of some eminent domain experts for the purpose of constituting the committee as was observed by this court,” said CJI Kant.

Addressing concerns over the impact of its earlier directions on mining operations, the Supreme Court of India acknowledged the practical consequences on the ground but declined to lift the existing stay.

“We are conscious of the fact that all activities... especially mining for which license was granted has come to a halt. However, such status quo will have to be maintained for the time being till some preliminary issues are answered in phased manner,” CJI Kant observed.

The matter was directed to be listed for further hearing at a later date for orders on the constitution of the expert committee.

Senior Advocate K Parameshwar, appearing as amicus curiae, submitted his report in the matter today.

In a lighter moment during the hearing, the CJI Kant remarked on the historical breadth of the Aravalli range.

“Do you know if you see some really old history... even the Supreme Court of India building comes under Aravalli?” he asked.

To this, Senior Advocate Parameshwar responded,

“Starts from Rashtrapati Bhavan.”

The present proceedings stem from the Court’s November 20, 2025 judgment, in which a Bench led by then CJI BR Gavai had accepted an expert committee’s elevation-based definition of the Aravalli Hills and Range for the purpose of regulating mining activity.

The judgment defined Aravalli Hills as landforms in Aravalli districts with an elevation of 100 metres or more from local relief, and the Aravalli Range as two or more such hills within 500 metres of each other.

While the Court accepted recommendations prohibiting mining in core or inviolate areas, it declined to impose a complete mining ban, observing that such prohibition could lead to illegal mining and criminalisation.

The definition, however, sparked widespread protests and criticism, with concerns that it would leave over 90% of the Aravalli region outside the protective framework and potentially open vast stretches to mining.

In response to the backlash, a Bench led by CJI Surya Kant on December 29, 2025, stayed the November 20 judgment and kept the earlier committee’s recommendations in abeyance.

The new Bench noted that much of the criticism appeared to stem from perceived ambiguities in its directions and held that an independent expert body might be required to assess the ecological implications of the restrictive demarcation.

The interim stay imposed on December 29, 2025 continue to remain in effect.

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