Supreme Court Halts Aravalli Hills Definition

The Supreme Court, on December 29, 2025, ordered a suspension of its November 2025 judgment concerning the definition of Aravalli hills. A bench led by the Chief Justice of India cited the necessity for further clarification, acknowledging that the previous directives might have introduced a 'structural paradox' between legal definitions and actual ecological preservation. This decision stems from attempts to reconcile long-standing inconsistencies in defining the Aravalli range across multiple states.

The judgment in question defined "Aravalli Hills" based on a minimum elevation of 100 meters and "Aravalli Ranges" by proximity of hills. However, this approach has been criticized for its administrative convenience over ecological comprehensiveness. Data indicates that only a small fraction of identified geological formations meet the elevation criterion, potentially leaving crucial ecological areas unprotected. Historical precedents, such as disappearances of hills in Rajasthan due to quarrying under similar definitions, raise serious questions about the efficacy of this approach.

The Court's suspension highlights a sophisticated judicial restraint, acknowledging potential substantive inadequacies in translating ecological realities into legal standards. The ruling underscores the challenge of balancing precise legal rules with the adaptive management required for ecosystems. Future considerations by a proposed committee will focus on graduated protection for excluded areas, the adequacy of elevation-based criteria, and the utility of a functional ecological approach.