The Supreme Court recently ordered to put a stay order on the current situation of cutting of trees in aarey forest. The order was passed by a Bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Ashok Bhushan in a letter petition.
The Court also ordered that the activists and protesters who were arrested should also be released after furnishing a personal bond.
Around 1500 trees were cut by the Municipal Corporation after the Bombay High Court dismissed the pleas challenging the removal of trees.
In view of this, the student delegation writes a letter to the Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi to look into the matter. In regards to this, a Special Bench was constituted to hear the matter. The letter highlighted that immediate action should be taken to prevent irrevocable loss. It also stated that by the time an appeal will be filed in the Hon’ble Supreme Court, half of the loss will be done and it will be too late.
The petition also raised concerns over the detained activists who were the peaceful protesters but were charged for non-bailable offences under Sections 353, 352, 143 and 149 of the Indian Penal Code.
The petition also requests the Hon’ble Supreme Court to exercise the Epistolary Jurisdiction to protect Aarey without getting into technicalities as there was no time for preparation of proper appeal petition. It was plead by the counsel to urgently get this matter listed as Writ Petition under Article 32 of the Indian Constitution as the Hon’ble Court had showered its Epistolary Jurisdiction in cases like Bhandhua Mukti Morcha v Union Of India, Peoples Union of Democratic Rights and others v Union of India and Sheela Barse v State of Maharashtra.