The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on April 2 stayed an Assam government order that had sought to deploy about 1,600 Assam Forest Protection Force personnel for election duties ahead of the state Assembly polls scheduled for April 9. The eastern zone bench in Kolkata has also issued notice to the Centre after hearing a petition that challenged diverting forest staff for poll-related work, effectively halting the deployment for now.
The bench, comprising Judicial Member Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member Ishwar Singh, heard the plea which argued that removing forest personnel from the field would weaken protection and conservation efforts when vigilance is most needed to curb illegal activities. Petitioners said the decision would leave ecologically sensitive areas exposed during a critical period.
The petition contended Assam’s forest staff are already overstretched and that redeployment for election duties would increase the risk of poaching, illegal wildlife trade and timber felling. It further alleged authorities had failed to fulfil statutory obligations under the Biological Diversity Act and other environmental laws and frameworks.
Noting the submissions, the tribunal observed that, prima facie, the matter raises “substantial questions” about compliance with environmental norms and the functioning of bodies such as the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the state government and local biodiversity institutions. The NGT emphasised its mandate to apply the precautionary principle and to uphold provisions and guidelines framed under the Biological Diversity Act.
Invoking powers under the NGT Act, the bench directed the special chief secretary of Assam’s environment and forest department to justify the March 19 decision in light of statutory obligations. The tribunal stayed the operation of the March 19 order until further directions, underscoring the tension between election-related security arrangements and the need to maintain field-level conservation enforcement.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/elections/story/ngt-halts-assam-move-to-deploy-1600-forest-personnel-for-poll-duty-flags-threat-to-biodiversity-1369585-2026-04-03?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-04-03 08:31:00
