Supreme Court - Daily Orders
In Re: Definition Of Aravalli Hills And ... vs Unknown on 26 February, 2026
ITEM NO.40 COURT NO.1 SECTION PIL-W
S U P R E M E C O U R T O F I N D I A
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
SUO MOTO WRIT PETITION(CIVIL) No(s). 10/2025
IN RE: DEFINITION OF ARAVALLI HILLS AND RANGES AND ANCILLARY ISSUES
IA No. 20032/2026 - APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS
IA No. 19957/2026 - APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS
IA No. 20206/2026 - CLARIFICATION/DIRECTION
IA No. 19640/2026 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION
IA No. 11734/2026 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION
IA No. 20892/2026 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION
IA No. 19892/2026 - INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT
IA No. 39829/2026 - INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT
IA No. 20029/2026 - INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT
IA No. 31492/2026 - MODIFICATION OF COURT ORDER
IA No. 39833/2026 - PERMISSION TO APPEAR AND ARGUE IN PERSON
Date : 26-02-2026 This matter was called on for hearing today.
CORAM : HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JOYMALYA BAGCHI
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VIPUL M. PANCHOLI
[LD. ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR INDIA, THE SOLICITOR GENERAL OF INDIA AND
MR. K. PARAMESHWAR, LD SENIOR ADVOCATE AND AMICUS CURIAE TO ASSIST
THIS COURT ALONG WITH THE CENTRAL EMPOWERED COMMITTEE (CEC) VIDE
ORDER DATED 29.12.2025]
By Courts Motion
Ms. Anitha Shenoy, Sr. Adv.
Ms. Ayushma Awasthi, AOR
Ms. Sadhana Madhavan, Adv.
Ms. Kavana Rao, Adv.
Mr. Sanjay Parikh, Sr. Adv.
Ms. Maulshree Pathak, AOR
Ms. Kritika, Adv.
Mrs. Aishwarya Bhati, A.S.G.
Ms. Swati Ghildiyal, AOR
Signature Not Verified
Mr. Nimesh Bhatt, Adv.
Digitally signed by
ARJUN BISHT
Date: 2026.03.07
09:29:41 IST
Reason: Mr. Vivek Sharma, AOR
Dr. Vijay Kumar Sharma, Adv.
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Mr. B. K. Satija, A.A.G.
Mr. Rahul Khurana, Adv.
Mr. Samar Vijay Singh, AOR
Ms. Sabarni Som, Adv.
Mr. Aman Dev Sharma, Adv.
Mr. Gaj Singh, Adv.
Mr. B. Chandra Sekaran, Adv.
Mr. Amit Shrivastava, Adv.
Mr. Keshav Mittal, Adv.
Mr. K.M Nataraj, A.S.G.
Mr. Saurabh Rajpal, Adv.
Ms. Arushi Rathore, Adv.
Ms. Nidhi Jaswal, AOR
Mr. Mukul Rohatgi, Sr. Adv.
Mr. Akhilesh Rajpurohit, Adv.
Mr. P. S. Sudheer, AOR
Mr. Rishi Maheshwari, Adv.
Ms. Anne Mathew, Adv.
Mr. Bharat Sood, Adv.
Mr. Jai Govind M J, Adv.
Mr. Jashan Vir Singh, Adv.
Intervenor-in-person
Mr. Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General
Mr. Aishwarya Bhati, A.S.G.
Mr. Gurmeet Singh Makker, AOR
Ms. Shreya Jain, Adv.
Ms. Ruchi Kohli, Adv.
Ms. Shivika Mehra, Adv.
Mr. Nitin Pavuluri, Adv.
Mr. Rohan Gupta, Adv.
Ms. Mili Baxi, Adv.
Mr. Kapil Sibal, Sr. Adv.
Ms. Manisha Singh, Adv.
Mr. George Pothan Poothicote, Adv.
Mr. Danish Zubair Khan, AOR
Ms. Sumedha Ray, Adv.
Mr. Kanav Khatana, Adv.
Ms. Ojeswita Singh, Adv.
Ms. Jyoti Singh, Adv.
Ms. Swati Yadav, Adv.
Ms. Anitha Shenoy, Sr. Adv.
Mr. Ritwick Dutta, Adv.
Ms. Srishti Agnihotri, AOR
Ms. Sadhana Madhavan, Adv.
Ms. Kavana Rao, Adv.
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Mr. D.P. Singh, Adv.
Ms. Tara Elizabeth Kurien, Adv.
Ms. Anchal Kanthed, Adv.
UPON hearing the counsel the Court made the following
O R D E R
1. On 21.01.2026, Mr. K. Parameshwar, learned senior counsel and amicus curiae, besides other learned Senior Counsel/counsel, appearing in the matter, were requested to submit a comprehensive note along with proposed questions that are likely to arise for consideration in these proceedings. In deference thereto, Mr. K. Parameshwar has circulated a self-speaking detailed note.
2. Let soft copy thereof be also circulated among learned Senior Counsel/counsel for the parties as well as those who wish to assist this Court as intervenors. In this regard, we have also requested Mr Jay Cheema, learned counsel, who is known as a domain expert, to provide his assistance to the Court.
3. The learned counsel for the parties are granted further time to submit their respective notes, if any, by 10.03.2026. We do not propose to extend further time beyond that, as it will unnecessarily delay the proceedings.
4. The opinion of the Ministry of Forest and Environment shall be of eminent assistance for the purpose of defining and identifying
(a) the expression ‘Aravalli Hills’ and ‘Aravalli Ranges’; (b) its total extent; (c) its gradients, hillocks etc. (d) its forest cover; and (e) the part of the Aravallis where settlements in the form of cities, towns and villages have been existing for a long period of time.
5. Similarly, we request the Ministry to suggest a panel of 3 domain experts along with their profiles. In this regard, Mr. Jay Cheema, learned amicus curiae, and other learned Senior Counsel/counsel are also requested to give the profiles of some eminent subject experts for the purpose of constituting the Committee, as was observed by this Court on the very first date, i.e., 29.12.2025.
6. We are conscious of the fact that all activities, particularly mining operations, for which licenses and other requisite permissions had been granted by the authorities, have presently come to a halt. However, such a status quo will have to be maintained for the time being until some of the preliminary issues are effectively addressed after the constitution of the Committee.
7. Post the matter on 12.03.2026 at 2 p.m. for the purpose of constitution of the Committee and formulation of the issues that may arise for determination.
(ARJUN BISHT) (PREETHI T.C.)
ASTT. REGISTRAR-cum-PS ASSISTANT REGISTRAR
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