PANAJI
Goa government, expecting the Tiger Reserve matter to come up before the Supreme Court on Friday, was left disappointed as the special leave petition (SLP) was not listed for hearing before the SC bench.
The State government had in September filed a special leave petition before the Apex Court challenging the Bombay High Court at Goa order dated July 24, 2023, directing the State to notify the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary and its surrounding areas as Tiger Reserve within three months. The time period lapsed on October 24.
The State, currently facing contempt, had informed the High Court, earlier this week, that the SLP is listed before the Supreme Court on November 10 and accordingly the matter be adjourned. Even the petitioner Goa Foundation made a similar plea.
Accepting the request, the Court adjourned the contempt plea hearing to December 11.
According to sources, Goa’s SLP was not listed for hearing before the Apex Court today and nor anytime soon.
On September 25, the Supreme Court had declined to grant stay to the High Court’s order while it had issued notices to the Goa Foundation, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
