Supreme Court Judges Disagree on GM Mustard Release in India
New Delhi, India – On Tuesday, the Supreme Court gave a split verdict on the environmental release of genetically modified (GM) mustard. Justices BV Nagarathna and Sanjay Karol had differing opinions on the matter and referred it to a larger bench. The court directed the registrar to place the issue before Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud to form a larger bench.
Both judges agreed that the Centre should develop a national policy on GM crops. Justice Nagarathna opposed the release of GM mustard, criticizing the government for rushing the approval process. She stated that the approval by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) on October 18, 2022, violated the law and failed to assess health risks adequately.
In contrast, Justice Sanjay Karol found no evidence of irregularities in the GEAC’s decision. He noted that the approval was granted by an expert body. The court was hearing various pleas against the Centre’s decision on GM mustard’s environmental release.
Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta represented the Centre, while advocates Prashant Bhushan and Sanjay Parikh represented the petitioners. The Centre argued that the approval aimed to increase farm productivity and reduce dependency on imported edible oil. The government emphasized that genetic engineering technologies are crucial for meeting agricultural challenges and ensuring food security.
The Centre also highlighted that the approval was conditional and subject to regulatory oversight by the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR). The approval process began in 2010 and involved extensive review.
Doubts Revealed
Supreme Court -: The Supreme Court is the highest court in India. It makes important decisions on laws and issues in the country.
GM Mustard -: GM Mustard is a type of mustard plant that has been genetically modified. This means scientists changed its genes to make it grow better or resist pests.
Justices BV Nagarathna and Sanjay Karol -: Justices BV Nagarathna and Sanjay Karol are judges in the Supreme Court of India. They help make decisions on important legal cases.
Larger bench -: A larger bench means more judges will look at the case. This happens when a case is very important or complicated.
National policy on GM crops -: A national policy on GM crops would be a set of rules and guidelines for using genetically modified plants in India.
Centre -: The Centre refers to the central government of India. It makes decisions and laws for the whole country.
Edible oil imports -: Edible oil imports are oils that India buys from other countries to use in cooking. GM mustard could help India grow more of its own oil.
Regulatory oversight -: Regulatory oversight means that there are rules and checks to make sure things are done safely and correctly.