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Reprieve to forest dwellers and tribals as Supreme Court stays its eviction order

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7 years ago

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Tribals FRA

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Granting a respite to nearly 12 lakh tribals and forest dwellers, the Supreme Court today (Thursday, Feb 28) put on hold its February 13 order directing the eviction of all those whose claims for forest land rights have been rejected under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) of 2006.

The Bench of Justices Arun Mishra, Navin Sinha, and MR Shah, however, said “the mighty and the undeserving” who have encroached on forest lands would be shown no mercy.

The Bench acknowledged the need to further delve into whether due process was followed by gram sabhas and States’ authorities under the FRA before the claims for forest rights of forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribes (FDST) and other traditional forest dwellers (OTFD) were finally rejected.

It directed the states to submit affidavits detailing the procedure adopted to assess the claims under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. The affidavits must also provide details of the authorities that decided these claims.

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When the hearing commenced today, Justice Arun Mishra asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta why the Centre was “caught in a slumber” and approached the Court only now, when the previous order in the case was passed in 2016.

Mehta, accepting that there is no explanation for the same, submitted that the Act only talks about the process for assessing claims and does not provide for eviction.

It was also submitted by the Centre, through Mehta, that the main challenge is to the Constitutional validity of the Act and it affects a large number of forest dwellers.

The February 13 order of the Supreme Court causes serious prejudice to the lives of the forest dwellers, Mehta submitted before the Court. At this point, Justice Arun Mishra asked the parties,

“Are these people (living in the forest) all tribals or normal people living there.”

Nearly 12 lakh ST and OTFDs across 16 States faced the brunt of the apex court’s order of eviction on February 13.

The apex court has now given the States four months’ time to file affidavits responding to allegations that there was a high rate of rejection of claims, non-communication of rejection orders, unrealistic timelines in deciding claims, irregular holding of State Level Monitoring Committee meetings, lack of support from the district administrations concerned in providing revenue or forest maps, rejection of claims despite incomplete or insufficient evidence, etc. In fact, the court wants to know whether tribals and OTFDs were ousted from forest lands on the basis of sketchy, incomplete information and data.

The order came on an application by the Centre to modify the February 13 order. The government, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, submitted the order has affected a “large number of families”. The Centre said the States should first file proper affidavits on the procedure followed in the verification of forest rights claims before any such eviction.

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“The eviction of the tribals may be withheld… the eviction of tribals, without such information, would cause serious prejudice to them who have been residing in forests for generations… Many are poor and illiterate,” Mehta submitted.

To this, initially, Justice Mishra asked whether the Centre was in a “slumber for the past three years”. Justice Mishra observed that the February 13 order was only a follow-up of the court’s order on January 29, 2016, which had also directed the eviction of encroachers into forest lands.

The court asked why there were no mechanism in place in the States or in the Centre to review the rejection orders.

Senior advocate Shyam Divan, for petitioner NGO Wildlife First, countered that lakhs of genuine claims were honoured under the FRA. He showed the MoTA’s data up to November 2018 that 42,24,951 claims from individuals and communities were received till November 30 last year. Of this, 18,94,225 titles were distributed while 19,39,231 claims were rejected. The ministry data, collated from inputs supplied by the States, show that titles were distributed to 44.83% of the number of claims received.

To this, Justice Mishra said “are they (rejected claimants) really tribals or normal people encroaching on forest lands?”

Justice Sinha said the Rules under the 2006 Act comprehensively cover every stage of the process of verification of claims and the provisions were self-explanatory.

“This is a human problem more than a legal problem,” Mehta responded.

“Encroaching forest lands is a serious problem,” Justice Shah said.

“But forests and tribals are to co-exist,” the Solicitor-General responded.

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The Centre argued that the 2006 Act is a beneficial legislation which should be liberally construed in favour of the poor.

Arguing for Wildlife First, Shyam Divan told the Court that bona fide forest dwellers will not be affected by the Court’s order. He submitted, “The people who have been granted pattas by the authorities will not be affected by the Court’s order at all.”

Mehta at this juncture termed this a “human problem” and went on to claim that forest conservation and protection of rights of forest dwellers have always coexisted, the world over. Continuing his submissions, Mehta argued that the Forest Rights Act only deals with the process of assessment of claims and does not touch upon the point of eviction saying that the “limited scope of the Act is to recognize the rights or not.”

On the point of assessment of claims, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves told the Court that most of the claims under the Act have been rejected by the authorities to which Justice Mishra observed that lack of proper documentation might make it difficult for the Tribals to prove their right over the land.

After hearing the submissions from parties, the Court stayed the implementation of its previous order.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Ghaziabad schools, colleges to remain closed till August 12 for Kanwar Yatra

Ghaziabad has announced the closure of all schools, colleges and universities from August 4 to 12 due to the Kanwar Yatra. Scheduled examinations will continue as planned.

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9 hours ago

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August 3, 2026

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The Ghaziabad district administration has ordered the closure of all schools, colleges, universities and technical institutions from August 4 to August 12 due to the heavy movement of Kanwar pilgrims during the ongoing Kanwar Yatra.

According to the official order issued on Monday, schools from Nursery to Class 12 across all education boards, including Basic Education Council, Secondary Education Council, CBSE, ICSE and Madrasa Board, will remain closed during the period. The decision has been taken to ensure the safety of students amid increased traffic and large gatherings associated with the annual pilgrimage.

The administration has clarified that while educational institutions will remain closed, examinations scheduled during this period will be conducted as per the existing timetable.

Shravan Shivratri to be observed on August 11

The District School Inspector, in an official circular, noted that the main festival of Shravan Shivratri will be celebrated in the district on August 11, 2026. With a large number of Kanwar pilgrims travelling through Ghaziabad since the beginning of the Shravan month on July 30, authorities have imposed the temporary closure as a precautionary measure.

The official order states that the closure applies to all government and private schools affiliated with various education boards across the district.

Colleges, universities also covered

The notification further states that all government and private colleges, universities and technical institutions in Ghaziabad will remain closed from August 4 to August 12. However, institutions conducting previously scheduled examinations have been permitted to hold them as per the announced examination schedule.

The administration has advised educational institutions to comply with the order and ensure the safety of students during the Kanwar Yatra period.

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Parliament panel seeks Zuckerberg’s apology over PM Modi video removal, questions Meta’s accountability

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on IT has sought an apology from Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg over the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Facebook video, while raising concerns over accountability, algorithmic bias and safe harbour protection.

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9 hours ago

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August 3, 2026

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The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology has sought an apology from Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg over the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Facebook video, saying that a simple expression of regret would not be enough unless accountability is fixed.

The committee, chaired by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, met representatives of Meta, Google, YouTube, senior officials from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and the Union Home Ministry to discuss issues related to social media regulation, algorithmic transparency and platform accountability.

Panel demands accountability over PM Modi video removal

During the meeting, members questioned Meta over the removal of a Facebook video in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed young people and promised strict action against exam paper leaks.

According to sources, committee members asked who was responsible for taking down the video and why it was removed while other objectionable content remained on the platform. Meta reportedly expressed regret over the incident and offered an apology.

However, members of the panel maintained that the matter should not end with an apology alone. They said responsibility for the lapse must be established and legal action should be considered wherever required.

The committee also questioned what safeguards ordinary Indian users have if the Prime Minister’s content could be removed in such a manner.

Nishikant Dubey warns over safe harbour protection

Speaking after the meeting, Nishikant Dubey said Mark Zuckerberg should personally apologise for the incident.

He also warned that if such an apology is not forthcoming, Meta’s “safe harbour” protection could come under scrutiny. Safe harbour provisions protect online platforms from liability for third-party content, provided they comply with due diligence requirements under Indian law.

Dubey further claimed that the Prime Minister’s video remained unavailable for around five hours and described the matter as serious.

Panel raises concerns over algorithms and child safety

Apart from the video controversy, the committee also questioned Meta over alleged algorithmic bias and the way content is promoted on social media platforms.

Dubey said the committee unanimously discussed concerns regarding algorithm-driven reach and claimed that newer or unregistered groups were receiving greater visibility than recognised political parties. He said understanding how platforms determine content reach was important for the country.

The meeting also included discussions on child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and the responsibilities of social media companies in preventing such content from appearing on their platforms.

MeitY had earlier questioned Meta’s explanation

Last week, MeitY had summoned Meta’s global team over issues related to algorithmic bias, platform processes and their potential impact on public order.

Meta had attributed the temporary removal of the Prime Minister’s video to a technical glitch. However, according to sources, the ministry considered the explanation inadequate.

Separately, Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police have registered cases against Meta India head Arun Srinivas and certain Facebook and Instagram accounts over allegedly morphed and AI-generated posts targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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Prashant Kishor wins Bankipur bypoll, secures first electoral victory in BJP bastion

Prashant Kishor won the Bankipur Assembly bypoll in Bihar by defeating BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar by 19,324 votes. The victory marks Kishor’s first electoral success and Jan Suraaj’s maiden Assembly seat.

Published

9 hours ago

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August 3, 2026

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Jan Suraaj chief Prashant Kishore

Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) founder Prashant Kishor has registered his maiden electoral victory by winning the Bankipur Assembly bypoll in Bihar, ending the BJP’s long dominance in the constituency. The former election strategist defeated BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar by a margin of 19,324 votes, marking the first Assembly seat won by both Kishor and his party.

According to Election Commission data, Kishor secured 64,151 votes, while Neeraj Kumar polled 44,827 votes. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate Rekha Kumari finished third with 14,273 votes.

Prashant Kishor promises visible changes in Bankipur

After the victory, Prashant Kishor thanked the voters and assured them that development work would begin immediately.

Addressing reporters, he said people would witness visible changes in Bankipur within three months and requested residents to give him that time. He also said his office would remain open not only for the people of Bankipur but for everyone in Bihar.

Kishor described the victory as significant, saying his party had managed to end what he called the BJP’s three-decade hold over the constituency in just 30 days of campaigning.

Says Bihar voters have sent a message to BJP

Speaking after the results, Kishor said the people of Bihar had conveyed a message to the BJP’s central leadership that the state needed a chief minister focused on improving education and creating employment opportunities. He also said voters wanted leadership with a clean public image.

Bihar Chief Minister congratulates Kishor

Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary congratulated Prashant Kishor on his victory through a post on X.

He said the people had chosen Jan Suraaj in the Bankipur Assembly by-election and extended his congratulations while respecting the democratic verdict.

Why the Bankipur bypoll drew national attention

The Bankipur by-election attracted national attention for several reasons. The constituency has long been considered a BJP stronghold and was represented for multiple terms by senior BJP leader Nitin Nabin, who vacated the seat after moving to the Rajya Sabha.

The contest also gained prominence after Prashant Kishor entered the fray and came in the backdrop of nationwide student protests centred around education-related issues. Political observers had closely watched whether young voters would influence the outcome in the urban Patna constituency.

The BJP also witnessed a last-minute change in candidate after Abhishek Kumar Sinha withdrew before filing his nomination, following which the party fielded youth wing leader Neeraj Kumar. The RJD nominated Rekha Kumari.

Jan Suraaj opens its electoral account

The victory marks a milestone for the Jan Suraaj Party, which had failed to win any seats in the 2025 Bihar Assembly election. Kishor himself had not contested that election.

With the Bankipur result, Jan Suraaj has opened its electoral account, while Kishor has entered the Bihar Assembly for the first time.

Reacting to the outcome, Jan Suraaj’s Bihar chief Manoj Bharti said the people of Bankipur had voted for change. He claimed the party received support across different sections of society and thanked what he described as the party’s “silent voters” for helping secure the victory.

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