Supreme Court of India

Indian Council for Enviro-legal Action v. Union of India

Neutral citation

Reported as [1996] 2 S.C.R. 503

Bench B.P. Jeevan Reddy and B.N. Kirpal JJ.

Decided 13 February 1996

INSC stands for INDIAN SUPREME COURT. A neutral citation scheme assigned by the Court itself, so a judgment can be cited without depending on a commercial law reporter. INSC is the neutral citation scheme assigned by the Supreme Court, so a judgment can be cited without depending on a commercial law reporter.

13 Supreme Court benches have cited this judgment.

What the Court ordered

We are of the opinion that any principle evolved in this behalf should be simple, practical and suited to the conditions obtaining in this country.

Judgment, page 44

From the headnote

Constitution of India, 1950 : Articles 21 and 32. Writ Petition-Maintainability of-Social action litigation--On behalf of affected villagers-Due to pollution caused by private chemical in- dustries--Directed against Central and State Govemments and State Pollution Control Board-To compel them to perfonn their statutory duties-Held : Petition maintainable even if private chemical industries were not amenable to writ jurisdiction-The Cowt had power and duty to intervene and protect right to life of citizens-Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981-AIR (Prevention and Control of

Where later benches applied it

2024 Gene Campaign & Anr. v. Union of India & Ors. relied on
2024 In Re : T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad v. Union of India & Ors. relied on
2018 M.C. Mehta v. Union of India & Ors. relied on
2026 Harbinder Singh Sekhon v. The State of Punjab referred to
2025 Delhi Pollution Control Committee v. Lodhi Property Co. Ltd. Etc. referred to
2025 Vellore District Environment Monitoring Committee Rep. by its Secretary Mr. R. Rajebdran v. The District Collector, Vellore District & Others referred to
2023 Kaushal Kishor v. State of Uttar Pradesh & Ors. referred to
2022 Madhya Pradesh High Court Advocates Bar Association and Anr v. Union of India and Anr referred to
2021 Electrosteel Steels Limited v. Union of India and Ors. Etc referred to
2021 Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai v. Ankita Sinha & Ors. referred to
2013 G. Sundarrajan v. Union of India and Ors. referred to
2011 Indian Council for Enviro-legal Action v. Union of India & Others referred to
2024 State of Himachal Pradesh and Others v. Yogendera Mohan Sengupta and Another mentioned

Of those, 3 relied on · 9 referred to · 1 mentioned

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