Delhi High Court Rebukes Centre for Treating Wildlife Panel as Government Extension

The Delhi High Court has pulled up the central government for treating a statutory wildlife body as an extension of the government. The court made the observation while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by former bureaucrats, wildlife conservationists, and a non-governmental organisation.

The PIL challenges the composition of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL), arguing that it has been constituted in violation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The petitioners allege that the committee has been approving projects that divert protected areas at an alarming rate, with over 97% of proposals cleared between 2014 and 2026.

A bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia sought the government's response within four weeks. During the hearing, Chief Justice Upadhyaya orally remarked that the Board is a distinct entity separate from the government, and cannot act as a government department. He noted a tendency to treat every statutory body as an extension of the government, which undermines the purpose of creating autonomous bodies.

The petitioners highlighted that the standing committee, reconstituted in 2026, approved 28 of 52 proposals in its first meeting on March 21, 2026. They argued this reflects poorly on the committee's mandate to protect wildlife and protected areas. The committee has also recommended 187 proposals for mobile towers in protected areas in just 12 meetings between 2024 and 2026.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who chairs the National Board for Wildlife, chaired his first meeting of the board in March 2026, over a decade after assuming office. The petitioners contend that the committee's decisions prioritise economic benefits over long-term environmental impacts.