J U D G M E N T

NAGARATHNA, J Table of Contents Acronyms ............................................................................................................................ 4 Preface: ................................................................................................................................ 7 Bird’s eye view of the controversy: ............................................................................. 9 Pleadings: ......................................................................................................................... 10 Writ Petition (Civil) No.115 of 2004: ...................................................................... 10 Writ Petition (Civil) No.260 of 2005: ...................................................................... 18 Writ Petition (Civil) No.840 of 2016: ...................................................................... 23 Civil Appeal No.4086 of 2006: ................................................................................ 29 Contempt Petition (Civil) No.295 of 2007 in Writ Petition (Civil) No.260 Of

2005; and, Contempt Petition (Civil) No.6 of 2016 in Writ Petition (Civil)

No.260 Of 2005: .......................................................................................................... 30 Significant Orders passed by this Court in Writ Petitions: ................................. 30 Constitution of the Technical Expert Committee (TEC): ....................................... 32 Final Report of TEC: ....................................................................................................... 34 Parliamentary Standing Committee (PSC) on Agriculture’s Report on “Cultivation of Genetically Modified Food Crops – Prospects and Effects” – 2012: .................................................................................................................................. 54 Parliamentary Standing Committee (PSC) on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests’ Report titled “Genetically Modified Crops and its impact on Environment” - 2017:................................................................................. 60 Conditional approval by Government of India for Environmental Release of DMH-11: ............................................................................................................................ 66 Sub-committee meetings: .............................................................................................. 71 Interlocutory Applications filed by the petitioners: ............................................... 88 Writ Petition (Civil) No.115 of 2004 Etc. Page 2 of 260 Additional Affidavit of Union of India: ...................................................................... 89 Submissions: .................................................................................................................... 95 Submissions of the petitioners: .................................................................................. 95 Submissions of the Respondents: ............................................................................ 111 Submissions of Learned Solicitor General: ........................................................... 122 Reply Arguments: ......................................................................................................... 125 Points for Consideration: ............................................................................................ 134 Legal Framework:......................................................................................................... 136 Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (EP Act, 1986): ............................................ 146 1989 Rules: .................................................................................................................... 147 Regulatory Framework: .............................................................................................. 156 Constitutional Court and the Environ