Source Bar and Bench
NEW DELHI — In a significant move to protect one of the world’s oldest mountain ranges, the Supreme Court of India announced on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, that it will constitute a high-powered expert committee to scientifically define the Aravalli Hills and Ranges.
The Bench, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and including Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi, has directed the Union Government and the amicus curiae to suggest names of eminent environmentalists, forest experts, and mining scientists within four weeks.
The “100-Metre” Controversy
The decision follows a wave of concern over a previous uniform definition accepted by the Court in November 2025. That definition, proposed by a Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) committee, classified a landform as an “Aravalli Hill” only if it had an elevation of 100 metres or more above the local relief.
Critics and environmentalists flagged “critical ambiguities” in this criteria, arguing:
Massive Exclusion: Nearly 90% of the Aravalli range (including low-lying ridges and scrublands in Haryana and Delhi) would lose its protected status.
Mining Risks: Out of 12,081 hills in Rajasthan, only 1,048 met the 100-metre threshold. The remaining areas would have been opened to unregulated mining and real estate development.
Ecological Buffer: The Aravallis serve as a vital barrier against the Thar Desert and act as a major groundwater recharge zone for North India.
Court-Monitored Oversight
The newly proposed committee will function under the direct control and supervision of the Supreme Court. Its primary mandate will be to provide a “holistic and scientific” definition that prioritizes ecological integrity over arbitrary physical height.
“Illicit mining is a crime… such activity can have disastrous and irreversible consequences for the fragile ecosystem of the Aravallis,” the Bench remarked during the hearing.
Key Directives Issued:
Names Requested: Amicus curiae K. Parameshwar and Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati are to submit a list of potential experts within four weeks.
Stay Extended: The Court extended its stay on the 100-metre elevation rule, keeping the November 20 directions in abeyance.
Mining Ban: While existing legal mining may continue for now, the Court reiterated a strict ban on any fresh mining leases in the region until the expert report is finalized.
Separate Definitions: The Court clarified that the legal definition of “Forests” and “Aravallis” will be examined as separate issues to ensure no dilution of environmental safeguards.
The matter has been listed for further hearing once the names of the experts and preliminary submissions are filed.
