By The Supreme Court on Wednesday signalled a reset in how the fragile and ancient Aravalli mountain system will be identified, protected, and regulated, announcing its intention to constitute an independent expert committee to scientifically “define” the range and recommend what activities can be permitted within it. The move comes after intense public debate and environmental anxiety over an earlier judicially approved definition that critics said could leave large swathes of the Aravallis exposed to mining and irreversible degradation.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said the proposed committee would bring together experts from multiple disciplines, including environmentalists, geologists, forest officials, scientists and specialists in regulated mining where law permits. The panel will function directly under the supervision of the apex court, ensuring that its findings are insulated from administrative or political pressures.
“We want experts from different walks of life to assist the court. This is not about adversarial positions but about arriving at a scientifically sound and environmentally responsible framework,” Chief Justice Kant observed, asking Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati and amicus curiae K. Parameshwar to suggest suitable names for the committee.
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The court’s decision follows mounting concerns over its November 20, 2025 judgment, which had upheld a government committee’s definition of the Aravalli Range. That definition classified only elevations of 100 metres or above, along with hill clusters, slopes and hillocks located within 500 metres of each other, as part of the Aravallis. Environmental groups and local communities warned that such criteria could dramatically shrink the legally protected area of one of the world’s oldest mountain ranges.
Those fears prompted the Supreme Court to take up the issue suo motu and eventually stay its own judgment. During subsequent hearings, the Bench noted that in Rajasthan alone, just 1,048 hills out of over 12,000 would qualify as Aravalli hills under the 100-metre threshold. The remaining formations—many ecologically linked to the range—would effectively lose protection, opening the door to unregulated mining.
“This creates a significant regulatory gap,” the court had observed in its December 29, 2025 order, warning that lower hill ranges could be stripped of environmental safeguards. The Bench stayed the earlier definition and barred the grant or renewal of mining leases in the Aravalli region without prior approval of the Supreme Court, cautioning that no irreversible ecological or administrative actions should be taken meanwhile.
On Wednesday’s hearing, the court also showed openness to dissenting viewpoints. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for an intervenor, questioned the very premise of attempting to define a mountain range through rigid parameters. “Mountains cannot be boxed into definitions. These are sub-tectonic formations. Even the Himalayas cannot be defined this way. Any attempt will inevitably lead to anomalies,” Sibal argued.
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Accepting the intervention, Chief Justice Kant remarked that the matter was not conventional litigation. “This is not adversarial. We will examine all perspectives and weigh the pros and cons,” he said, directing that a comprehensive note be prepared outlining the scientific, legal and ecological issues involved.
The court reiterated that the idea of regulated or sustainable mining within the Aravallis would also need careful scrutiny. During earlier proceedings, the Bench had flagged the risk that areas excluded from the narrow definition could be gradually eroded, undermining the ecological integrity of even the protected zones. It questioned whether defining clusters within a 500-metre radius might paradoxically expand “non-Aravalli” zones and legitimise disruptive activities in ecologically contiguous terrains.
Emphasising the need for a more nuanced approach, the court said the final definition must be grounded in exhaustive geological and scientific assessments, including precise mapping of hillocks and terrain continuity. The objective, it stressed, was not merely classification, but long-term preservation of the Aravalli ecosystem, which plays a critical role in groundwater recharge, climate regulation, and biodiversity across north-western India.
