Supreme Court stays November 20 verdict, to revisit definition of Aravalli hills and ranges
The Supreme Court on Monday stayed its November 20, 2025 judgment that had limited the definition of the Aravalli hills and ranges to landforms rising at least 100 metres above the local terrain. The apex court has decided to revisit the contentious issue and proposed the formation of a high-powered expert committee to examine questions relating to the hills elevation, ecological significance, and permissible mining in the region. The matter is being heard in a suo motu case titled IN RE: DEFINITION OF ARAVALLI HILLS AND RANGES AND ANCILLARY ISSUES by a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices J K Maheshwari and A G Masih. The court has issued notices to the Centre, state governments, and other stakeholders, and listed the matter for further hearing on January 21, 2026. The November 20 ruling had accepted a uniform definition of the Aravalli hills and ranges based on recommendations from a Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) committee. According to that definition, an Aravalli Hill is any landform in designated Aravalli districts with an elevation of 100 metres or more above local relief, while an Aravalli Range is a collection of two or more such hills within 500 metres of each other. The court had also banned the grant of fresh mining leases in these areas until the submission of expert reports. The Aravalli Hills and Ranges, stretching from Delhi through Haryana and Rajasthan to Gujarat, are among Indias oldest geological formations. Historically recognised across 37 districts, they serve as a natural barrier against northern desertification and play a critical role in biodiversity conservation and groundwater recharge. The development signals a potential relook at the earlier judgment, highlighting the ecological, developmental, and legal debates surrounding one of the countrys most important mountain systems.
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