Why it is in the news
The Union government, through the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), has filed a special leave petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court seeking a stay of the Calcutta High Court's order and of all pending proceedings in petitions alleging that the Forest Rights Act, 2006 (FRA) was violated in obtaining consent for the ₹92,000-crore Great Nicobar Island (GNI) project. Supreme Court records show the SLP was filed on 24 July 2026 and is tentatively listed for 5 October 2026.
The exam angle
Issue: Reconciling a strategic maritime mega-project with the forest and habitat rights of a PVTG and one of India's most intact island ecosystems.