Supreme Court (SC) issues new Guidelines for Environmental Regulatory Bodies

Posted 02 Feb 2024

Updated 18 Mar 2024

1 min read

In Re: T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad v. UoI case, SC issued guidelines to ensure effective functioning of environmental bodies to uphold Environmental Rule of Law.
- Environmental Rule of Law integrates essential elements of rule of law with environmental governance.
- Court also approved notification of Central Empowered Committee (CEC) under Section 3(3) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

Key highlights of the guidelines for environmental bodies
- Clearly lay down composition of bodies and service conditions of members.
- Ensure certain and clear source of finances for environmental bodies.
- Clear demarcation of mandate and role.
- Notify rules, regulations, and guidelines in regional languages, to the extent possible.
- Regular and systematic audit.
- Notify norms for public hearing, the process of decision making, etc.

Central Empowered Committee (CEC)
- Initially constituted as an ad hoc body through SC’s order in TN Godavarman vs Union of India (1996).
- In September 2023, Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) notified CEC as a permanent statutory body under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
- Functions: Monitor implementation of SC’s orders on environmental issues.
- Jurisdiction: Whole of India.

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