Summary
- The Supreme Court will focus solely on the constitutional validity of the definition of "forests" under the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act of 2023, leaving land disputes to High Courts.
- Chief Justice Surya Kant emphasized adherence to the 1996 TN Godavarman case definition while acknowledging Parliament's authority to define forests.
- The Court directed states and Union territories to form expert panels for recording forest-like areas and complete this by March 31, 2024.
- This ruling could significantly impact land use policies, as nearly 1.99 lakh sq km of forest land is now excluded from the definition under the new law.
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