Supreme Court Issues Notice To Centre And 2 States In Aravalli Hills Case: Hearing Set For January 21

In a significant move to safeguard one of India's oldest mountain ranges, the Supreme Court, while hearing a suo motu case concerning the definition and protection of the Aravalli hills on Monday, has officially issued notices to the Central government along with two state administrations regarding the ongoing ecological concerns in the Aravalli Hills. 

The SC has put its November 20 order in abeyance till further study after expressing concern that the expert committee report and the court's observations were being misconstrued.

The Court was informed that formal notices have already been dispatched to the relevant states to ensure compliance and immediate protection of the landscape, mandating a total cessation of all mining activities. The apex court said the matter will be taken up for further hearing on January 21, 2026. 

During the proceedings, the Solicitor General assured the bench that the states have been explicitly instructed to hold their hands and halt further interventions in the region.

Ban on mining leases

On December 24, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) had also issued directions to the States for a complete ban on the Grant of any New Mining Leases in the Aravallis.

This prohibition applies uniformly across the entire Aravalli landscape and is intended to preserve the integrity of the range. The directions are aimed at safeguarding the Aravallis as a continuous geological ridge extending from Gujarat to the National Capital Region and at stopping all unregulated mining activities.

The opposition to the recent verdict stems primarily from a controversial new '100-meter rule', with critics and local communities arguing that the new definition effectively "erases" the majority of the mountain range from legal protection. 

Supreme Court's Suo Motu Action and December 29 Hearing

The vacation bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices JK Maheshwari and AG Masih, heard the matter titled “In Re: Definition of Aravalli Hills and Ranges and Ancillary Issues."

The SC hearing comes amid widespread controversy triggered by the Supreme Court’s earlier acceptance of the Centre’s definition of the Aravalli hills on November 20, which had raised serious concerns about the ecological future of one of India’s oldest and most fragile mountain ranges.

CJI Kant during the Aravallis hearing stated that some resultant and consequential observations of the court are being misconstrued and that some clarification is required.

The Supreme Court also raised questions and sought clarification from the government on whether the widely publicised criticism, that more than 11,000 hills would meet the criteria for mining under the new definition, is scientifically accurate, and whether exhaustive scientific mapping is required to arrive at such conclusions.

The Supreme Court argued the court must "resolve critical ambiguities" in the newly accepted definition of the Aravalli hills and ranges, particularly whether it creates a structural paradox when applied across the geographical spread of the mountain system.

The CJI asked the government to clearly state whether mining would be stopped or allowed to continue under the new framework and to explain the rationale.

The court also sought clarity on how gaps of more than 500 metres between hills would be treated, what policy would apply in such cases, and to what extent mining would ultimately be permitted, stressing that all these aspects must be explicitly clarified.

Adding further, the Supreme Court noted that a comprehensive mining plan must be prepared by experts, and clarified that no such plan can be implemented unless it receives the court’s seal of approval.

Following the hearing, the Supreme Court said that its November 20 order on the Aravallis will not be implemented until the next date of hearing, effectively putting the directions on hold for now. The apex court said the matter will be taken up for further hearing on January 21, 2026.

Also Read: Aravalli Hills Hearing: Supreme Court Puts 20th November Judgement In Abeyance, Proposes High-Powered Committee To Examine Matter