Flame of hope flickers: Congress after Supreme Court rejects Centre’s plea on Nicobar petitions in Calcutta High Court
The Supreme Court of India has rejected the Centre's plea to stay proceedings in the Calcutta High Court regarding the Great Nicobar Island project. The High Court will now proceed with hearing petitions alleging environmental violations under the Forest Rights Act.
Why it matters
This ruling allows for continued legal scrutiny of a major infrastructure project that faces significant opposition due to potential ecological damage.
The Congress on Monday (October 5, 2026) welcomed the Supreme Court rejecting the Centre's challenge to a Calcutta High Court order which upheld the maintainability of a PIL alleging violations of the Forest Rights Act in obtaining consent for the Great Nicobar Island project, and said the flame of hope for ecological wisdom still flickers.
The Opposition party's reaction came after the Supreme Court refused to entertain the Centre's plea against the Calcutta High Court order upholding the maintainability of PILs alleging violations of the Forest Rights Act in obtaining consent for the Great Nicobar Island mega-infrastructure project.
A Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana dismissed the Centre's plea while noting that the matter was already pending before the High Court and is scheduled to come up for hearing on November 25 and 26.
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