In a significant shift in judicial oversight, the contempt proceedings against Delhi Development Authority (DDA) Vice-Chairman Subhasish Panda, concerning the large-scale felling of trees in the Satbari area of Southern Ridge, will now be overseen by a bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud.
Previously, the case was under the purview of a Supreme Court bench consisting of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan. However, due to concerns about judicial consistency, the matter has been reassigned to a bench that includes Chief Justice Chandrachud along with Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.
The reassignment follows a notice of criminal contempt issued against Panda by Justice Oka’s bench, which cited displeasure with the misleading affidavit presented by the vice chairman, suggesting erroneous facts were provided to the court. The case centers on unauthorized tree cutting to facilitate the construction of a roadway from Chhattarpur to South Asian University.
A previous bench comprising Justices B R Gavai, P K Mishra, and K V Viswanathan highlighted the importance of a unified judicial approach to issues related to Delhi’s ridge area, particularly to avoid conflicting orders. This led to the decision to consolidate related matters under a single bench.
Earlier, on March 4, the apex court had denied the DDA’s request to cut down 1,051 trees for this project, criticizing the vague nature of the application and the lack of permission under the Forest Act. The court emphasized that the DDA, as a state entity, must prioritize environmental protection and explore alternatives to minimize ecological damage.
