JUDGMENT :

Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, J.

1. The appellant had earlier moved a petition under Article 32 of the Constitution -Writ Petition No 529 of 2021 -to challenge: (i) the Stage-I Forest Clearances dated 29 September 2020 and 24 December 2020 issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change¹[“MoEF&CC”] in respect of the stretches of road forming a part of National Highway No 72A in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh; and (ii) the Wildlife Clearance dated 5 January 2021 issued by the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife. Noting that the primary challenge was to the Stage-I Forest Clearances, this Court by its order dated 7 September 2021 reserved the liberty of the appellants to adopt appropriate proceedings by moving the National Green Tribunal²[“the Tribunal”] to challenge the Stage-I Forest Clearances. Directions were also issued, granting permission to the appellant to challenge the Wildlife Clearance at the appropriate stage.

2. Following the order of this Court, the appellant moved the Tribunal in Original Application No 240 of 2021, invoking its jurisdiction under Section 14(1) of the National Green Tribunal Act 2010³[“NGT Act”]. The Tribunal by i