SC recalls order that halted retrospective green permits

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran, writing separate but concurring opinions, allowed a batch of review petitions and declared that the May verdict, delivered by a two-judge bench of justices Abhay S Oka (since retired) and Ujjal Bhuyan in the Vanashakti case, could not stand in the face of earlier Supreme Court rulings that had recognised limited situations where post-facto EC may be permissible

The Supreme Court on Tuesday, by a 2-1 majority, recalled its May 16 judgment that barred grant of ex-post-facto environment clearance (EC) to development projects, holding that the previous ruling failed to consider binding earlier precedent and thereby violated judicial discipline.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran,