The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice on a contempt of court petition concerning the issue of cutting of large numbers of trees in the forest ridge near Delhi University..A bench of Justice AS Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan ordered that in the meantime, the authorities should not do any further felling, and maintain status quo at the site in question. Justice Oka further said that if the court is satisfied, it would call for replanting the trees in the area. “Issue notice in both the matters. First respondent to remain present (on next date of hearing), notice by all modes including dasti. Respondents should not indulge in any further tree felling, and maintain status quo with respect to the subject properties,” the Court said. .Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the petitioner earlier argued that time had come to examine the constitutionality of the Ridge Management Board in Delhi Stating that it was “rightly called the ridge destruction board", Rohatgi said,“How can cutting be done without leave of this court?"Senior Advocate Guru Krishna Kumar submitted that a single bench should hear all the cases concerning the matters related to the Delhi ridge.To this, Justice Oka orally remarked, “That CJI will take a call. But they cannot take law into their own hands!”
The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice on a contempt of court petition concerning the issue of cutting of large numbers of trees in the forest ridge near Delhi University..A bench of Justice AS Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan ordered that in the meantime, the authorities should not do any further felling, and maintain status quo at the site in question. Justice Oka further said that if the court is satisfied, it would call for replanting the trees in the area. “Issue notice in both the matters. First respondent to remain present (on next date of hearing), notice by all modes including dasti. Respondents should not indulge in any further tree felling, and maintain status quo with respect to the subject properties,” the Court said. .Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the petitioner earlier argued that time had come to examine the constitutionality of the Ridge Management Board in Delhi Stating that it was “rightly called the ridge destruction board", Rohatgi said,“How can cutting be done without leave of this court?"Senior Advocate Guru Krishna Kumar submitted that a single bench should hear all the cases concerning the matters related to the Delhi ridge.To this, Justice Oka orally remarked, “That CJI will take a call. But they cannot take law into their own hands!”