Today, the Supreme Court decided to continue the stay on its earlier ruling related to the definition of the Aravalli Hills and ordered that the current situation remain unchanged until further directions.

A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said that its interim order, which had put the earlier judgment on hold, will remain in force for now.

Last year, on December 29, the top court had paused its November 20 ruling that approved a uniform definition of the Aravalli Hills. The court had said that there were serious ambiguities that needed to be addressed, including whether criteria such as a minimum height of 100 metres and a 500-metre gap between hills could leave large parts of the Aravallis without environmental protection.

During the hearing, the bench asked Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for Rajasthan, and amicus curiae K Parameshwar to suggest, within four weeks, the names of environmentalists and mining experts. These experts will be part of a committee that will study all aspects of the issue under the supervision of the Supreme Court.

The court said it needs inputs from experts across fields to arrive at a well-considered decision.

Taking note of concerns that illegal mining is still taking place in parts of the Aravalli region, the Supreme Court directed the Rajasthan government to ensure that no unlawful mining activities continue. It also made it clear that strict legal action must be taken against those involved in illegal mining.

Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj assured the court that the state government would prevent any illegal mining in the area.

The Supreme Court further asked all parties to submit detailed written notes explaining the legal issues involved in the case.

The matter will be heard again after four weeks.