Do Zudpi Lands Get ‘Forest' Protection? SC To Deliver Verdict Today
The judgment, according to court sources, will be pronounced by a bench led by newly appointed Chief Justice of India Bhushan Gavai.
The decision is expected to significantly affect development in Vidarbha, where several public infrastructure projects have been stalled due to the legal ambiguity surrounding zudpi lands — forest land in official records but often used for non-forest purposes. The litigation challenges a series of govt resolutions (GRs) and policy changes between 2014 and 2018 that facilitated easier diversion of these lands without adhering to the Forest (Conservation) Act (FCA), 1980.
Originally, in 1961, the state had 9.23 lakh hectares of zudpi jungle, of which 6.55 lakh hectares were classified as protected or reserved forests. Of the remaining 2.68 lakh hectares, 92,115 hectares were found suitable for forestry, with 73,211 hectares already notified as reserved forest under Section 4 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927. From the balance 1.76 lakh hectares, over 89,768 hectares were reportedly diverted for non-forest use by 1992.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Giao dịch vàng với sàn môi giới tin cậy
IC Markets
Đăng ký
Undo
The remaining 86,409 hectares now form the core of the Supreme Court proceedings.
Environmentalists argue that these lands are protected under the Supreme Court's December 12, 1996, judgment in the landmark Godavarman case (WP 202/1995), which defined 'forest land' to include any area recorded as forest, regardless of ownership or use. They questioned the legal validity of the March 4, 2014, GR that diluted procedural safeguards, and subsequent policies issued in 2017 and 2018 that eased diversion and permitted land transfers without central clearance.
"Zudpi lands are unique to Vidarbha and have no equivalent classification in any other part of India," said one petitioner, highlighting how these tracts have remained in legal limbo for decades, stalling essential infrastructure such as schools, health centres, water supply networks, and even public institutions.
A six-member panel headed by then divisional commissioner Anoop Kumar had recommended denotifying the land as forest and reclassifying it as revenue land.
With multiple parties awaiting clarity — including development agencies, state departments, and environmentalists — the Supreme Court verdict is expected to set a precedent not only for Vidarbha but for land governance policy in other forested regions too.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scroll.in
a minute ago
- Scroll.in
Bihar voter roll revision: 91.6% electors submitted forms, 65 lakh names may be removed, says EC
The Election Commission on Sunday said that 91.6% electors in Bihar had submitted their enumeration forms for the special intensive revision of the state's electoral rolls by the end of the first phase of the exercise on Friday. The poll panel said that more than 7.2 crore out of the state's 7.8 crore electors had submitted the forms by the deadline, indicating 'overwhelming participation'. This would mean that the remaining 65 lakh names registered in the July 2025 list may not make it to the draft rolls to be published on August 1. The Election Commission added that 2.8% electors (22 lakh) had died, 4.5% (26 lakh) had permanently shifted and 0.8% persons (7 lakh) were found to be enrolled at more than one place. The exact status of the 65 lakh electors would be known after forms are scrutinised by the electoral registration officers or assistant electoral registration officers by August 1, the statement said. 'However, genuine electors can still be added back in electoral rolls during the Claims and Objection period from 1st August to 1st September 2025,' the poll panel added. It said that the electors found enrolled at multiple places would be retained only at one place. The poll panel said in a statement that efforts were also made to ensure that no migrant worker was left behind. This included advertisements in Hindi published in 246 newspapers and requesting all states and Union Territories to make efforts to reach out to the migrants from Bihar. About 16 lakh migrant workers had filled the enumeration forms online while about 13 lakh had downloaded the forms, it added. The revision of the electoral rolls in Bihar was announced by the Election Commission on June 24. As part of the exercise, persons whose names were not on the 2003 voter list will need to submit proof of eligibility to vote. Voters born before July 1, 1987, must show proof of their date and place of birth, while those born between July 1, 1987, and December 2, 2004, must also submit documents establishing the date and place of birth of one of their parents. Those born after December 2, 2004, will need proof of date of birth for themselves and both parents. If the officers are satisfied with the details provided, the voters will be re-enrolled to a new voter list by the electoral registration officers. If not, they will be removed from the voter lists. A draft roll will be published on August 1 and the final roll will be out on September 30. Bihar is expected to head for Assembly polls in October or November. On July 2, eleven INDIA bloc parties told the Election Commission that the special intensive revision of Bihar's electoral rolls risked disenfranchising several voters, as they may not be able to produce the necessary documents. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on July 6 defended the exercise, claiming that the exercise had to be carried out as no one was satisfied with the current voter rolls. On July 10, the Supreme Court urged the Election Commission to consider Aadhaar cards, voter ID cards and ration cards as valid documents for the revision of electoral rolls. However, on July 21, the Election Commission told the court that Aadhaar cards, voter ID cards and ration cards cannot be included as standalone valid documents for the exercise. In a counter-affidavit filed in the court, the poll panel also stated that a person's citizenship will 'not terminate' on being found ineligible for registration in the electoral rolls. The court will hear the matter next on Monday. 'Why a big fuss' On Sunday, the Election Commission reiterated that the draft electoral roll to be published on August 1 was not the final voter list, adding that a month's time would be given to include eligible electors and exclude those ineligible, PTI reported. The poll panel said that it was 'not able to understand' why a 'big fuss' was being created when a month-long period will be available to point out wrongful inclusions and exclusions to the list. Political parties were free to check with their workers on the progress of the process, it said. 'Why not ask their 1.6 lakh booth-level agents to submit claims and objections from August 1 till September 1?' the news agency quoted the commission as saying. Booth-level agents appointed by political parties work with Election Commission officers in preparing or updating the voter list. 'Why are some persons trying to give an impression that the draft list is the final list, which it is not, as per special Intensive revision orders,' the poll panel added.
New Indian Express
a minute ago
- New Indian Express
MV Act changes on the anvil to make guidelines mandatory for states
NEW DELHI: The Centre is working on a proposal to amend the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act to ensure that key guidelines issued by the Union Government become binding on states, government sources said. The move aims to address the current legal ambiguity arising from the concurrent nature of legislation on motor vehicles, where both the Centre and states have law-making powers. Officials say delays or inaction by some states on critical reforms create a legal vacuum, hampering the uniform implementation of road safety and transport policies. 'If states don't act on certain matters, important reforms are left out. The idea is to avoid a situation where nothing moves forward due to jurisdictional gaps,' a source said, adding that discussions are underway and the final proposal is likely to be taken up soon. The proposed changes would make select Central guidelines mandatory, particularly those related to road safety, vehicle regulation, and transport policy.
Hans India
a minute ago
- Hans India
Row over SIR doesn't bode well for Indian democracy
What should have been a routine voter list update by the Election Commission of India (ECI) has become a nationwide controversy, triggering political protests, a challenge in the Supreme Court, and growing concerns about mass voter disenfranchisement. The controversy stems from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, where preliminary data suggests that up to 6.5 million voters—about nine per cent of the state's 78.9 million-strong electorate—could be excluded from the draft rolls. The reasons cited include death, duplication, permanent migration, and failure to submit necessary forms. The first phase of the SIR concluded on July 27, while the draft electoral roll is to be published on August 1, followed by a month-long window for filing claims and objections till September 1. The final roll is scheduled for release on September 30, ahead of Bihar's assembly elections later this year. As per the latest bulletin, the likely exclusions comprise 2.2 million deceased voters, seven lakh people registered in several locations, and 3.5 million individuals, who have migrated for good or could not be located during the door-to-door verification. Around 1.20 lakh forms remained incomplete. If all these are excluded, it would mark the largest voter list purge in a single state in recent memory. The Election Commission (ECI) has defended the exercise in the Supreme Court stating that it was essential for maintaining fairness and integrity of elections. Officials cited technical reasons for the delay in releasing final data, with a complete update expected by Monday. The SIR was carried out by an extensive network: over 98,000 booth level officers, nearly 150,000 agents from political parties, and 400,000 volunteers participated in the month-long verification drive. However, serious concerns have been raised over the documentation requirements. Voters must provide one of 11 accepted documents to prove eligibility. Ironically, they don't include Aadhaar, ration cards, or even voter IDs — all widely used government-issued documents. A booth-level officer from Araria district admitted to the media that they were uploading 'whatever documents they could get,' but it was unclear whether these would be accepted. Different age groups face varying documentation burdens: those born before 1987 can submit individual ID proof; those born between 1987 and 2004 must provide personal ID and proof from a parent, while those born after 2004 need to furnish documents of both parents apart from their own. In its July 21 affidavit to the apex court, the ECI maintained that Aadhaar, ration cards, and voter IDs do not qualify as citizenship proof, despite the court earlier advising the Commission to consider accepting these documents. This has set the stage for a legal showdown when the court hears the matter on July 28. On July 20, theECI shared lists of voters marked as deceased, migrated, or untraceable with 12 political parties for verification, but several discrepancies reportedly remain. The final electoral roll is expected to become a key battleground in the run-up to Bihar's elections. Critics argue that the tight timeline may not allow enough time to resolve disputes, potentially resulting in legitimate voters being disenfranchised. The Bihar revision is just the first phase of a larger nationwide effort, with similar exercises planned elsewhere. At the heart of the debate lies the perception of a deeply polarised political landscape and a growing mistrust in the ECI's impartiality—an ominous sign for Indian democracy.
