Supreme Court Bench Led By Justice Chandrachud To Hear Plea Against Aarey Tree Felling

The Chief Justice of India on Wednesday directed the listing of the petition challenging the cutting of trees in Aarey in Mumbai before a bench led by Justice Chandrachud.

The matter was mentioned before the CJI for urgent listing by Senior Advocate Anita Shenoy who said that cutting of trees has been going on since July 25.

In 2019, the Supreme Court had registered a suo motu case titled "In Re Felling Of Trees In Aarey Forest (Maharashtra)" based on a letter petition sent by few law students against the cutting of the trees for the construction of a metro car shed. The actions taken by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) and other authorities to cut the trees in Aaray had led to widespread protests by environmental activists and city residents.

On October 7, 2019, the Supreme Court had ordered status quo with respect to the cutting of trees, after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted on behalf of the State of Maharashtra that no further trees will be cut.

The Aarey tree felling resumed after the change of government in Maharashtra recently, when the new government with Eknath Shinde as the Chief Minister announced the decision to construct the metro shed at the same place.

Case Title : In Re Felling Of Trees In Aarey Forest (Maharashtra)|SMW(C)No(s).2/2019

Click here to read/download the order