Skip to main content

Civil society apprehensive: Supreme Court hearing on April 2 may impact forest dwellers’ rights

By A Representative 
The Supreme Court is set to hear the case Wildlife First and Ors. vs Union of India and Ors. (WP 109/2008) on April 2nd, which challenges the constitutionality of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 (FRA). The outcome may have significant implications for forest-dwelling communities across India.
The FRA was enacted to recognize the rights of traditional forest dwellers, many of whom belong to Adivasi communities, over land they have historically occupied. The law aimed to address past injustices stemming from colonial-era forest policies that designated large areas as government-controlled forests. However, implementation challenges have led to numerous claim rejections at both the Central and State levels.
In 2019, the Supreme Court issued an eviction order for rejected claimants after a hearing in which the Central government did not actively defend the FRA. The order affected approximately 1.7 million families but was later put on hold following protests, with the Court directing a review of claim rejections. Reports indicate that this review process has been inconsistent, leading to concerns about due process.
The petitioners, including retired forest officials and wildlife NGOs, seek to challenge key provisions of the FRA, including community rights over forest management. They advocate for decision-making authority to remain with forest officials.
Civil society organizations have called on the Central and State governments to take a clear stance on the FRA and ensure that the rights of forest dwellers are protected. They emphasize the need for:
1. A robust defense of the FRA in court.
2. A transparent and fair review of rejected claims.
3. Policies that balance conservation efforts with the rights of forest-dwelling communities.
Organizations following the case include:
- Adivasi Mahasabha Gujarat
- Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti, Gujarat
- People’s Union for Civil Liberties, Gujarat
- National Alliance of People’s Movements, Gujarat
The hearing’s outcome could have a lasting impact on forest governance and the rights of millions of people across the country.

Comments

Post a Comment

NOTE: While there is no bar on viewpoint, comments containing hateful or abusive language will not be published and will be marked spam. -- Editor

TRENDING

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.
Post a Comment
»

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

​ By Syed Ali Mujtaba*  ​The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.
Post a Comment
»

Incarceration of Prof Saibaba 'revives' the question: What is crime, who is criminal?

By Kunal Pant* In 2016, a Supreme Court Judge asked the state of Maharashtra, “Do you want to extract a pound of flesh?” The statement was directed against the state for contesting the bail plea of Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba. Saibaba was arrested in 2014, a justification for which was to prevent him from committing what the police called “anti-national activities.”
Post a Comment
»