Supreme Court refuses to stay Great Nicobar project legal challenges

The Supreme Court of India has declined a plea from the central government to stay proceedings in the Calcutta High Court regarding the Great Nicobar Island mega-infrastructure project. The High Court is tasked with hearing public interest litigations (PILs) that allege violations of the Forest Rights Act and threaten the area’s fragile ecosystem.

A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant directed the Calcutta High Court to decide the petitions, which include constitutional questions, without delay. During the hearing, Justice Joymalya Bagchi noted that the preservation of culture is a constitutionally protected fundamental right, particularly concerning the identity of indigenous communities like the endangered Shompen tribe.

The central government, represented by Attorney General R Venkataramani, argued that the project—estimated to cost over Rs 72,000 crore—is of immense national importance and strategic value. The government contended that the PILs are maintainable and that environmental clearances had already been addressed by the National Green Tribunal. The High Court is scheduled to proceed with the hearings on November 25 and 26.