{"id":115984,"date":"2026-07-30T11:12:05","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T05:42:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=115984"},"modified":"2026-07-30T11:12:05","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T05:42:05","slug":"supreme-court-on-ex-post-facto-environmental-clearances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/supreme-court-on-ex-post-facto-environmental-clearances\/","title":{"rendered":"Supreme Court on Ex-Post Facto Environmental Clearances (ECs)"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Environmental Clearances (ECs) Latest News<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Supreme Court has <\/span><b>struck down<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the Union government&#8217;s 2021 Office Memorandum (<\/span><b>OM<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) that permitted retrospective (ex-post facto) Environmental Clearances (ECs) for projects that had already commenced construction or operations without prior approval.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the Court upheld the possibility of a limited, statutory, public interest-based amnesty under the Environment (Protection) Act (EPA), 1986, thereby <\/span><b>balancing <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">environmental protection with developmental necessities.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Background &#8211; Ex-Post Facto Environmental Clearance<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under the Environmental Impact Assessment (<\/span><b>EIA<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) Notification, 2006, specified projects must obtain prior Environmental Clearance (EC) before commencement.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite this requirement, many projects began operations without ECs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To address past violations, the Centre issued &#8211;<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>March 2017 Statutory Notification:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> One-time, six-month amnesty allowing violators to disclose violations and seek EC after environmental appraisal.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>July 2021 OM<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Introduced a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) enabling an ongoing mechanism for granting ex-post facto ECs to violation cases.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Key Supreme Court Ruling<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>2021 OM declared invalid: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Court held that &#8211;<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 2021 OM lacked statutory authority and was merely an administrative instruction.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It created a perpetual mechanism for regularising environmental violations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An executive instruction cannot override or modify delegated legislation issued under a statute.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consequently, the OM was declared ultra vires the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/environment-protection-act-1986\/\" target=\"_blank\">Environment (Protection) Act, 1986<\/a><\/strong>.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Limited statutory amnesty permissible:\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Court clarified that &#8211;<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ex-post facto ECs cannot be granted through executive orders.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the Central Government may issue a narrowly tailored statutory notification under Section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, if &#8211;<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">justified by supervening public interest,<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">applicable only to clearly identified categories of projects,<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">satisfies the principles of reasonableness and proportionality.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thus, blanket regularisation has been prohibited, while exceptional statutory relief remains constitutionally permissible.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Prospective operation of judgment: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To avoid disruption, existing environmental clearances granted under the 2021 OM will remain valid. The judgment will apply prospectively.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Administrative Order vs Statutory Notification<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While OM is a<\/span> <b>administrative instruction<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, statutory notifications are issued under statutory authority.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">OM has no force of law, while statutory notifications are legally enforceable.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While OM <\/span><b>cannot amend <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">delegated legislation, statutory notifications can create a legally valid regulatory framework.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">OMs are issued by the Ministry, and statutory notifications are issued under powers delegated by Parliament.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Court emphasised that environmental regulation must derive authority from law, not merely executive convenience.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Evolution of Supreme Court Jurisprudence<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Common Cause v. Union of India (2017):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this case, the SC held that mining activities requiring EC cannot begin without prior approval. It reinforced the preventive nature of environmental regulation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Alembic Pharmaceuticals v. Rohit Prajapati (2020): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The SC declared ex-post facto EC inconsistent with the Precautionary Principle, and Preventive environmental governance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Pahwa Plastics v. Dastak (2022): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The apex court adopted a pragmatic approach, and held that remediation and regulation may sometimes better serve environmental protection than immediate closure.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Vanashakti litigation:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>May 2025 judgment: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Struck down both the 2017 notification, and 2021 OM. It held ex-post facto ECs impermissible &#8220;in any form or manner.&#8221;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Review (November 2025): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A 2:1 majority recalled the judgment, observing that earlier binding precedents and public interest considerations had not been adequately examined.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Present judgment (July 2026): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Distinguished between a time-bound statutory amnesty, and a permanent administrative regularisation mechanism.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Constitutional and Legal Principles Involved<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Environment (Protection) Act, 1986: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Section 3<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; It empowers the Central Government to issue environmental protection notifications, and provides legal basis for exceptional statutory amnesty.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>General Clauses Act, 1897: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sections 20 and 21 support modification or issuance of statutory notifications where authorised.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Fundamental Rights:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The Court held that the 2021 OM violated &#8211;<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Article 14<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 Equality before law, due to arbitrary and perpetual regularisation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Article 21<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 Right to life, which includes the right to a healthy environment.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Role of Jan Vishwas Act, 2023: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Court observed that &#8211;<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It decriminalised several regulatory contraventions under the Environment (Protection) Act, reflecting legislative intent towards regulatory compliance rather than punitive action.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, decriminalisation does not justify unrestricted post-facto environmental approvals.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Projects Affected and the Significance of the Judgment<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Projects:\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before the Supreme Court stayed the 2021 OM (January 2024) &#8211;\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More than 100 projects had already received ex-post facto ECs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Around 150 additional projects had entered the appraisal process.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These included coal, iron and bauxite mines; greenfield airports; cement and steel plants; chemical industries; industrial estates; hospitals; and commercial buildings.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Significance:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Reinforces<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The Precautionary Principle while recognising developmental realities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Prevents<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Routine legalisation of environmental violations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Strengthens<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The distinction between executive instructions and delegated legislation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Establishes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Public interest as the constitutional benchmark for any future amnesty.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Balances<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Environmental governance, sustainable development, and administrative flexibility.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Source: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-law\/supreme-court-environmental-clearance-ex-post-facto-vanashakti-10809393\/#:~:text=The%20court%20held%20that%20ex,issued%20under%20delegated%20legislative%20powers.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><b>IE<\/b><\/a>\u00a0<b>| <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/legal-news\/supreme-court-retrospective-environmental-clearance-2021-memorandum-10808876\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><b>IE<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Supreme Court has struck down the Union government&#8217;s 2021 Office Memorandum (OM) that permitted retrospective (ex-post facto) Environmental Clearances (ECs).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":115991,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[9083],"class_list":["post-115984","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","tag-environmental-clearances","no-featured-image-padding"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115984","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=115984"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115984\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":115999,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115984\/revisions\/115999"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/115991"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=115984"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=115984"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=115984"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}