Supreme Court Sets November Deadline for Aravalli Panel Report, Rejects Extension

The Supreme Court has refused a six-month extension requested by a high-powered committee working on a uniform definition and mining rules for the Aravalli hills and range. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant directed the panel on Monday to submit its final report by November 30, 2026, telling the Centre's counsel that the court would not allow delays. CJI Kant, who is due to retire on February 9, 2027, questioned whether the panel was waiting for his retirement.

Panel Details And Mandate

The Bench, which also includes Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, ordered the five-member panel to work day and night to finish its tasks. Headed by Kanchan Devi, Director General of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, the committee includes Brij Mohan Singh Rathore, Ashok K. Bhatnagar, Subhash Ashutosh, and Rajendra Kumar Sharma, with Jagdish Krishnaswamy and Laxmikant Sharma as special invitees. The panel had asked for time until February 28, 2027, to complete field checks and use more datasets. The court also told the committee to submit interim reports on urgent issues and to hear all stakeholders, including tribal groups in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Background And Reactions

The Aravalli range acts as a natural barrier against desert regions, and the Supreme Court has regulated mining there since 2002. A 2018 Forest Survey of India report noted the loss of 31 hillocks across nearly 3,000 sites in Rajasthan and Haryana due to illegal mining. After an earlier definition sparked fears of open mining, the court stopped new leases in December 2025 and formed the current panel in May. Meanwhile, the Aravalli Virasat Jan Abhiyaan, an activists' coalition, criticized the court's refusal to grant the extension. Co-founder Diwan Singh questioned the rush, alleging the panel lacked proper public consultations and village visits.