The Supreme Court on October 5 declined to interfere with the Calcutta High Court’s decision allowing a public-interest challenge concerning the Great Nicobar development project. It asked the High Court to move the pending proceedings forward, with the lead matter already listed for November 25 and 26.
The bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana directed that pleadings in related matters be completed so the cases could be heard on the scheduled dates. Both sides assured the court that they would cooperate.
The litigation challenges government actions connected with the project, including alleged failures to comply with the Forest Rights Act and reductions in eco-sensitive buffer zones. These are claims awaiting adjudication. Monday’s action did not decide whether the project’s approvals are lawful or establish that violations occurred.
For the Centre, Attorney General R. Venkataramani emphasised the project’s national importance and questioned multiple proceedings after environmental-clearance litigation before the National Green Tribunal. Senior advocate S. Muralidhar argued that public-interest litigation was appropriate because the dispute concerned particularly vulnerable tribal groups.
The High Court had rejected the government’s preliminary objection on May 6. Former civil servant Meena Gupta’s residence outside the islands, it held, did not automatically prevent her from raising vulnerable communities’ concerns. Her tribal-welfare background was relevant to that decision. The Supreme Court’s latest action keeps the substantive dispute before the High Court.