Supreme Court Pauses Aravalli Definition Order, Sets Up Expert Review Panel

Supreme Court of India on Monday put in abeyance its earlier order approving a revised definition of the Aravalli Hills, saying further clarification and scientific evaluation were necessary before the definition could be implemented.

The top court stayed its November 20 ruling that had accepted the Central Environment Ministry’s definition of the Aravalli Hills and Aravalli Range, a move that had raised concerns over increased exposure of large stretches of the ecologically sensitive region to regulated mining activities.

A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant said the environmental implications of recommendations made by the earlier committee must be reassessed by a newly constituted panel of domain experts. The court noted that the previous committee was largely composed of bureaucrats and lacked adequate independent scientific and environmental expertise.

The bench observed that a fair, objective and expert-driven assessment was essential before either the earlier committee’s report or the court’s previous judgment could be acted upon. It flagged serious concerns over proposals that sought to restrict the definition of the Aravalli range to a narrow 500-metre belt, questioning whether such an approach would shrink conservation zones while expanding areas eligible for regulated mining.

The court also raised questions on how geographical gaps between hill formations should be treated under environmental norms, particularly in cases where hill ranges exceeding 100 metres in height are separated by distances of several hundred metres. It stressed the need to preserve the ecological continuity and structural integrity of the ancient hill system.

Notices have been issued to the Centre and the four Aravalli states — Rajasthan, Gujarat, Delhi and Haryana — seeking their responses in the suo motu proceedings. The bench ordered the formation of a high-powered expert committee comprising scientific and environmental specialists to re-examine the recommendations and guide the court on unresolved regulatory and ecological issues.

The matter is part of an ongoing suo motu case triggered amid widespread concern and protests over the redefinition of the Aravalli range. The court clarified that if significant regulatory gaps are identified, a broader and more comprehensive environmental assessment may be required.

The case is scheduled for further hearing on January 21, 2026.