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49 organisations, collectives and 553 environmentalists, academics, and citizens connected Friday (May 22, 2026) wrote a missive to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, demanding that the Supreme Court retreat oral remarks made by the CJI connected May 11.
The missive sought the withdrawal of the remarks truthful that it does not formed uncertainty connected the “legitimacy of bona fide” biology Public Interest Litigation (PIL) oregon connected the Constitutional relation of affected communities and citizens successful seeking enforcement of biology law.
During the proceeding of a lawsuit connected May 11, the CJI made an oral observation: “You amusement america a azygous task successful this state wherever these alleged environmentalists and activists say, ‘We invited this project. “Country is progressing well, we invited this project’. Everything you resistance to the court.”
Citing this and different comments made by the CJI during the hearing, the missive said, “We find the aforementioned comments highly objectionable and disturbing. These comments were not made successful the discourse of the lawsuit being heard by the Court, but connected the wide close of citizens to support the situation and question amerciable decisions and irregularities.”
“With utmost respect, it indispensable beryllium stated plainly: specified framing is factually inaccurate, constitutionally troubling, and perchance dangerous. It risks portraying citizens who question lawful scrutiny of biology decision-making arsenic a fishy constituency, alternatively than arsenic participants successful a law ideology performing some a close and a duty,” it said.
The missive said that the CJI's remarks besides hazard producing a “chilling effect” good beyond this azygous case, arsenic the National Green Tribunal, High Courts, appraisal bodies, and administrators instrumentality their cues from the Supreme Court.
“We request that the Hon’ble Supreme Court and each different courts successful India dainty section communities and citizens approaching the judiciary successful nationalist involvement litigation matters arsenic rights-bearing participants successful biology decision-making alternatively than arsenic obstacles to it,” the missive said.
The missive said that a liable ideology does not inquire citizens to take betwixt improvement and the environment. “It asks whether improvement has been planned lawfully, appraised honestly, and designed intelligently capable to holistically support and payment each life, livelihoods, and ecological security. When it has not been, it provides citizens with ineligible remedies. The Supreme Court of India exists, successful part, to guarantee those remedies are disposable and effective,” it said.
