SC Stays its November Aravalli Hills Order, Calls for Fresh Expert Review

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The Supreme Court of India has stayed the implementation of its November 2025 judgment regarding the definition of the Aravalli Hills. The court cited concerns that the revised definition could be misconstrued and potentially facilitate unregulated mining in ecologically sensitive areas. The bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, has called for the constitution of a new expert committee to holistically reassess the matter. The next hearing is scheduled for 21 January 2026.

According to Live Law, the Supreme Court initiated suo motu proceedings after public protests and concerns from environmental groups about the revised definition of the Aravalli Hills. The court observed that both the expert committee report and its own directions were being misinterpreted, necessitating further clarification before any implementation.

As reported by Bar and Bench, the bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice JK Maheshwari, and Justice AG Masih stated that the previous order would remain in abeyance until a new committee is constituted. Notices have been issued to all stakeholders, and the Attorney General and senior advocates have been requested to assist in determining the composition of the proposed committee.

As highlighted by The Hindu, the court expressed the need for a fair, impartial, and independent expert opinion before any report or direction is implemented. The bench specifically questioned whether restricting the definition of Aravallis to landforms of 100 metres or higher could lead to unregulated mining and whether a geological enquiry was necessary to verify the scientific accuracy of the threshold.

The report highlighted the court’s concern that the new definition might exclude significant areas from protection, potentially risking further environmental degradation. The court also noted the need for a detailed identification of territories that would be excluded from the Aravalli area and an assessment of whether such exclusions could compromise the ecological integrity of the range.

“We deem it necessary that Committee recommendation and directions of this Court be kept in abeyance. Stay to remain in effect till constitution of the Committee,” the bench stated.

This report mentioned that the Forest Survey of India’s internal assessment revealed the new definition could remove protection from over 90 percent of the Aravalli range, opening it up to mining and construction. The Rajasthan government had also reclassified large parts of the terrain, permitting certain low-density activities, which experts warned could erode the hills further.

The Supreme Court’s November 2025 judgment had accepted the “100-metre rule” for defining Aravalli Hills, but this has now been stayed pending further review by the new committee, reported The Indian Express.

The report highlighted that the Aravalli Hills and Ranges are among India’s oldest geological formations, playing a crucial role in preventing desertification and supporting biodiversity. The Supreme Court had previously emphasised the need for uniform criteria to safeguard the region and had banned new mining leases until expert reports were finalised.

“There were a lot of misconceptions regarding orders, the govt role etc. An expert committee was constituted and a report was given which the court accepted,” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stated, was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times.

The article mentioned that the Supreme Court’s November 2025 verdict had approved an elevation-linked definition for the Aravalli Hills, but the court has now determined that further expert study is required to assess the environmental impact and address widespread concerns.

Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.