Supreme Court Cautions Aravalli Committee Size

The Supreme Court has mandated that the expert committee responsible for defining the Aravalli hills and ranges must actively engage with domain experts and other stakeholders. This ensures that public perspectives are thoroughly considered in the process. The bench, led by the Chief Justice, cautioned against an overly large committee, stating that a composition of 5-7 members would be more manageable and effective.

The court's directive comes after halting all mining activities in the Aravalli region on December 29, 2025. This action was taken to address critical ambiguities concerning the definition of the world's oldest mountain system. The previous definition, accepted on November 20, 2025, included criteria like a 100-meter elevation and a 500-meter gap between hills, which might exclude significant portions from environmental protection.