The Bench held that the Environment (Protection) Act allows limited post-facto environmental clearances in exceptional cases

A three-Judge Bench declares prior clearance mandatory, corrects the precedent record, and forgives every project already in the pipeline.

An opinion on a Presidential Reference, two Constitution Bench judgements and the beginning of a long tenure for a new CJI

In permitting retrospective environmental clearances, the Court subverts legal principles and turns the rule of precedents on its head

From the Supreme Court’s past six months emerges a troubling trajectory marked by quiet procedural departures and an erosion of finality