Aravalli mining freeze continues as SC seeks expert review of hill limits

The Supreme Court on Thursday extended an interim stay on mining in the Aravalli Hills, declaring that “no one yet knows” the exact boundaries of the range.

A Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, alongside Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul Pancholi, prolonged the freeze, effectively halting operations even for licence holders. The Court made clear that uncertainty over the range’s limits prevents any immediate resumption of activity.

The legal dispute stems from a November 2025 judgment that defined the “Aravalli Hills” using a 100-metre elevation benchmark and a 500-metre gap between hills. Critics argued that this narrow definition would leave over 90 per cent of the region unprotected, potentially exposing large areas to unregulated mining and environmental harm.

In December 2025, the Court stayed its own order to address what it termed “critical ambiguities”. The Bench said an independent expert assessment was necessary to evaluate ecological implications. During proceedings, CJI Kant noted the historical spread of the range, observing that both the Supreme Court building and Rashtrapati Bhavan stand on the Aravallis.

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Expert committee to examine mining limits

The Court has directed the Central Government and senior counsel to propose names of environmental and forest experts for a high-powered committee.

This panel will review the definition of the hills and consider whether regulated mining can operate in gaps between peaks without disrupting ecological continuity.

CJI Kant outlined the phased approach: “Let first experts tell us whether mining can be allowed or not. If it is to be allowed then to what extent it can be allowed, and who will monitor it. We will cross all bridges one by one”.

Status quo to continue despite economic impact

Acknowledging the economic consequences for mining leaseholders, the Court nevertheless refused to lift the ban. The Bench also rejected any move to restart halted projects, including the proposed Zoo Safari in Haryana.

“We are conscious of the fact that all activities... especially mining for which license was granted has come to a halt. However, such status quo will have to be maintained for the time being till some preliminary issues are answered in phased manner,” the CJI observed.

Responding to claims that certain operations fell outside the defined area, CJI Kant stated: “All permission is no permission… we say stop mining in Aravalli and you stop!”.

The Court concluded it will not allow anyone to “touch Aravalli as of now” until the expert committee clarifies the range’s total area and forest cover.