Overview
- The National Green Tribunal kept in force its April 2 stay on Assam’s order to deploy about 1,600 Assam Forest Protection Force personnel for election work.
- The bench called the order patently illegal, citing the Biological Diversity Act, the Assam Forest Protection Force Act, and a May 15, 2024 Supreme Court direction.
- The panel said AFPF members count as forest staff because the forest department hires and pays them, so diverting them from patrols and anti-poaching work is not permitted for elections.
- The tribunal left the case open and gave the state government and senior forest officials four weeks to file their responses.
- The original directive was issued on March 19 by Special Chief Secretary M. K. Yadava, instructing AFPF personnel to report to the Additional Director General of Police by April 3.