New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered status quo on a recent decision of the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) to approve genetically-modified mustard for commercial cultivation. A bench of justices Dinesh Maheshwari and Sudhanshu Dhulia asked Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati to ensure that "no precipitative action is taken" until an application filed before it in this regard is heard.
"Additional solicitor general prays for and is granted time for putting the response in relation to IA No. 122182 of 2021 on record, along with additional affidavit and additional documents. "The petitioner may also file additional documents. We would request the learned counsel for the parties to also file short notes on their proposed submissions before the matter is taken up next," the bench said and posted the matter for hearing on November 10.
Appearing for petitioner Aruna Rodrigues, advocate Prashant Bhushan informed the court that it had, in 2012, formed a technical expert committee with broad terms of reference to examine in detail the matter of GM (genetically modified) crops in India. The GEAC, which functions under the Union environment ministry, has recommended the environmental release of GM mustard, which, according to experts, paves the way for its commercial cultivation.
