The Supreme Court has taken a big step regarding 3 cases related to environment. The court has said that it will hear these more than 40 years old cases under new names. The cases whose case title will be changed were filed by environmentalist and lawyer MC Mehta in 1984-85.
What did Chief Justice Surya Kant say?
During the hearing of Delhi-NCR pollution case, Chief Justice Surya Kant said that it is not right for the cases which have been decided long ago, to still be seen pending. This is happening because people are filing new applications on the issue raised in the original petition and they are being posted for hearing under the same original case title.
‘I am not ready to bear this embarrassment’
The Chief Justice said, “Because of this, people unnecessarily think that the Supreme Court has not been able to settle some cases for 40 years. Questions are raised about this in Parliament also. I am not ready to bear this embarrassment.” After this he asked the registry to list all three cases with new names. The applications filed in those cases should also be put up for hearing. The Supreme Court will hear those applications, which need to be heard here. The applications which are eligible for hearing in the High Court will be sent there.
The original petitions related to the 3 cases which will now be heard under a new name or will be sent to the High Court are: –
1. Civil Writ Petition 13381/1984 – Taj Trapezium Zone Case (Petition filed to save Taj Mahal from pollution)
2. Civil Writ Petition 4677/1985 – Case of commercial activity in residential areas.
3. Civil Writ Petition 13029/1985 – Petition filed regarding industrial pollution. Till now this is being heard as Delhi-NCR pollution case.
The Supreme Court has given detailed decisions in all these three cases. Still, interim applications continue to be filed regarding these. Due to this, these three cases still remain in the hearing list of the Supreme Court under the name of ‘MC Mehta vs. Government of India’.
