New Delhi, March 06 (HS): The Supreme Court has deferred hearing on petitions challenging the Central Government’s order allowing commercial use of GM enhanced mustard seeds. A three-member bench of Justice AS Oka, Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia, and Justice Ujjwal Bhuiyan ordered the hearing of the case on April 15.

Today, Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the Central Government, sought time to present arguments on the matter. The Attorney General said that the matter is being considered at the highest level of the government. After that the court ordered the hearing of the case on April 15.

Earlier on July 23, 2024, a two-member bench of the Supreme Court had given a split verdict on the matter. Justice BV Nagarathna, a member of the bench, had quashed the order of the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) approving the commercial production of GM mustard, while the other judge Justice Sanjay Karol had upheld the order.

In fact, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), working under the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment, had approved the commercial production of GM mustard. Petitioner Aruna Rodrigues has challenged the approval of commercial production of GM mustard.

Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, on behalf of the petitioner, had said that in 2012, the court had constituted an expert committee to reach a conclusion on the future of GM crops. The committee had declared the use of weedicides unsuitable for crops. The committee had said that cancer causing elements have been found in weedicides. The committee had demanded a ban on all GM crops. Prashant Bhushan had told the court that the Centre had assured the court several times in 2016 and 2017 that permission for commercial production of GM mustard will not be given till the court’s decision. If such permission is given, the court will be informed.

The petition states that if its commercial use is allowed, it will ruin the indigenous variety of mustard. The petition states that GEAC adopted the wrong method. The petition states that the use of GM mustard means increasing the sale of its seeds and making profits for multi-national companies.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar