New Delhi, Dec 29: The Supreme Court on Monday kept in abeyance the directions issued in its November 20 judgment that had accepted a uniform definition of the Aravalli hills and ranges, citing the need for further clarification on several issues.
A vacation bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices J K Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih said it proposes to constitute a high-powered committee of domain experts to undertake an exhaustive and holistic examination of the matter.
“We deem it necessary to direct that the recommendations submitted by the committee, together with the findings and directions stipulated by this court in the judgment dated November 20, 2025, be kept in abeyance,” the bench observed while hearing a suo motu case titled In Re: Definition of Aravalli Hills and Ranges and Ancillary Issues.
The apex court said certain aspects of the issue require clarification and issued notices to the Centre and other stakeholders. The matter has been posted for further hearing on January 21.
In its November 20 verdict, the Supreme Court had accepted a uniform definition of the Aravalli hills and ranges and imposed a ban on granting fresh mining leases within the Aravalli regions spread across Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, until expert reports were submitted.
The court had endorsed the recommendations of a committee constituted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to protect the Aravalli range, regarded as the world’s oldest mountain system.
As per the committee’s recommendations, an “Aravalli Hill” was defined as any landform in designated Aravalli districts with an elevation of 100 metres or more above the local relief. An “Aravalli Range” was defined as a cluster of two or more such hills located within 500 metres of each other.
The panel further clarified that the entire landform enclosed by the lowest contour line of such hills, including supporting slopes and associated landforms, would be deemed part of the Aravalli Hills, irrespective of gradient. For Aravalli Ranges, the committee proposed inclusion of the landforms and features falling between the lowest contour lines of two or more qualifying hills.
The November 20 judgment, spanning 29 pages, arose from long-running environmental litigation in the T N Godavarman Thirumulpad case. The apex court had also accepted recommendations prohibiting mining in core or inviolate areas, with limited exceptions, and laid down measures for sustainable mining and prevention of illegal mining in the Aravalli region.