Ex-bureaucrats warn of conflict of interest in environment panel advising Supreme Court
The letter, signed by 60 retired seasoned bureaucrats, pointed out that the CEC does not include an independent expert and is instead composed entirely of government officials, which could influence the outcomes of cases concerning amendments to the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) of 1980.
The CEC, which should have five members, is currently made up entirely of former government servants, including retired scientists, rather than including at least one independent expert as required.
The letter cast doubt on the integrity of the CEC and stated that 'a CEC which is comprised of officers who had held the highest positions in the MoEFCC, and were closely involved in policy making, can hardly be expected to give independent advice to the Supreme Court, advice that is different from what they gave while they were in the government.'
The letter cited a writ petition of 2023 which was filed in the Supreme Court by a group of individuals challenging the Forest Conservation Amendment Act (FCAA), 2023. According to the petition, the Act would promote the decline of forests in India.
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