Overview
- The NGT Eastern Zone bench in Kolkata stayed the Assam government's March 19 order on Thursday, blocking a plan to send about 1,600 forest protection personnel for election duty starting April 3.
- The bench issued notices to the Assam government, the Environment Ministry, the National Biodiversity Authority, and senior forest officials, and set an early hearing for April 6.
- The judges warned that pulling the Assam Forest Protection Force from parks and reserves could weaken patrols and raise risks of poaching, illegal wildlife trade, and timber felling.
- The petitioner cited a May 2024 Supreme Court ruling that forbids states from using forest staff or vehicles for elections or other non-forestry tasks.
- The stay pauses a deployment window that ran through April 10, keeping AFPF units on patrol in biodiversity hotspots such as Kaziranga during the election period.