The Supreme Court on Tuesday, by a 2:1 majority, recalled its May 16 judgment that had barred the Union government from granting retrospective environmental clearances (ECs) to projects found to be in violation of environmental norms.

A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice K Vinod Chandran delivered three separate verdicts on a batch of nearly 40 review and modification pleas filed against the Vanshakti judgment.

The May 16 verdict had prohibited the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and related authorities from issuing ex-post facto ECs to violators.

On Tuesday, CJI Gavai and Justice Chandran recalled that judgment, directing that the issue be placed before an appropriate bench for fresh consideration.

“Public projects

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