The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned the hearing of several pleas challenging the 2022 decision of the Centre to grant conditional environmental approval for the release of genetically modified (GM) mustard crop. The hearing has been rescheduled to April 15 and 16, as Justice Abhay S Oka, along with Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ujjal Bhuyan, decided to give the government additional time for preparations. Attorney General R Venkataramani represented the Centre and requested the extension citing ongoing high-level discussions.
The petitions, represented by advocate Prashant Bhushan, argue against the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee’s (GEAC) recommendation and subsequent approval of the GM mustard variety DMH-11. The Supreme Court had previously issued a split verdict on these approvals on July 23, 2024, with a call for a comprehensive national policy on GM crops encompassing research, cultivation, trade, and commerce.
Justices B V Nagarathna and Sanjay Karol previously expressed divergent views on the legitimacy of the GEAC’s decisions from October 2022. They affirmed that judicial review of these decisions was warranted, leading to the current proceedings under a specially directed bench.
Further, the Supreme Court emphasized the necessity of national consultations to develop a robust policy framework for GM crops, involving state governments and various stakeholders. It stressed the importance of ensuring the integrity of the expert participants in this process by verifying their credentials and addressing any potential conflicts of interest with statutory rules.
This ongoing judicial scrutiny aligns with separate appeals by activist Aruna Rodrigues and the NGO “Gene Campaign,” who are seeking a moratorium on the environmental release of any GM organisms until a rigorous and transparent bio-safety protocol is established and reviewed by independent experts.
