Karnataka High Court Refuses Interim Stay On Tiger Safaris In State

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday (April 15) refused to grant an interim stay on the Jeep Safaris conducted across notified Critical Tiger Habitats (CTH) in the State.

It asked the State government to file a comprehensive affidavit regarding the zones wherein such safaris are conducted as of now.

The Division Bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C.M Poonacha also asked the State to explain the scenario by drawing a map— indicating different zones of tiger reserves wherein such jeep safaris are permitted and restricted.

The court was hearing a plea by V Ravi Kumar, a resident of Mysuru, seeking a ban on jeep safaris conducted in CTH, across Karnataka.

The plea also sought a direction to ensure that such activities are moved to buffer zones in non-forest areas, as held in Re: T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad v. Union of India (2024) by the Supreme Court. The plea also sought the court's nod to initiate an enquiry into the recommendations made by the technical committee to allow jeep safaris, in direct contrast with the aforesaid apex court order.

During the hearing, the Court orally told the petitioner, “We don't think your contention that zones are not being demarcated is correct… The allegation is that safaris are conducted in the 'core zone'…. We don't think it's correct…But they (State) will answer…Also, there is no point going to places where there is no wildlife. It's an oxymoron, that argument of yours…"

To this the petitioner responded that jeep safaris can be rightly conducted in national parks, but not in notified tiger reserves.

However, the court declined to grant an interim stay on jeep safaris across the State, citing that the arguments of the petitioner were not "prima facie" convincing.

At the same time the bench also orally asked the State about the time-period wherein jeep safari paths are closed in Karnataka, citing examples of other States.

“…Jeep Safari paths in North India and states like Madhya Pradesh close in May, June, etc. So the Government will answer this question”, the court orally said.

The bench also orally pointed out that there are three zones, namely the Core Zone, the Transition/Tourism Zone and the Buffer Zone. The court clarified that a jeep safari in a tiger habitat is not synonymous with a core zone; it could very well be happening in the buffer zone or the transition zone.

The State responded that it will verify and apprise the court about the same.

“Issue notice. Advocate General accepts notice. Respondents shall file an affidavit about zones earmarked for conducting safaris. Particularly, the affidavit shall set out whether the core zone has been earmarked. The respondents shall also file a map of the areas indicating different zones as well as the zone in which safaris are conducted. Such affidavit shall be filed in 2 weeks,” the Court ordered.

The matter is now posted on July 7.

The petitioner submitted that despite fatal attacks in October and November 2025 on the fringes of the Bandipur and the Nagercoil Forest Reserves, the jeep safaris have continued since February 2026. The human-wildlife conflict has created an environmental tension amongst the local farming community, the petitioner argued today.

In the wake of such encounters, the PIL sought for a ban on Tiger Jeep Safaris in notified tiger reserves. According to the petitioner, the State Board of Wildlife, allegedly under political lobbying, constituted a technical committee to explore the feasibility of restarting Safaris. Based on the recommendations issued by the said committee, the Chief Conservator of Wildlife allowed the recommencement of jeep safaris in February, the petitioner stated before the court.

The recommenced jeep safaris are now being permitted to the extent of 50 per cent of the total capacity, according to the petitioner. National Tiger Conservation Authority(NTCA) has already issued guidelines in the matter of Jeep Safaris, which have been contravened by the state authorities, submitted the counsel for the petitioner. According to the plea, in the Critical Tiger Reserves, once declared as such, no such safaris are permitted by NTCA.

Case Title: Sri V. Ravi Kumar v. State of Karnataka & Ors.

Case No: WP 6657/2026