Above: A woman works inside her mustard field on the outskirts of Srinagar (file picture). Photo: UNI

The application field by activist Aruna Rodrigues, seeking an urgent stay on the commercial release of Genetically Modified (GM) Mustard came up for hearing at the Supreme Court on Wednesday (November 22) before the bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud.

With the decision on commercial approval of GM Mustard on the anvil, anti-GMO campaigner Rodrigues had filed this petition seeking a moratorium on the release of any genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the environment pending a rigorous
bio-safety protocol conducted by independent expert bodies.

The government of India had earlier submitted before the court that no release of Genetically Modified Organisms shall take place till October 17, 2016 because the government had sought views from the public and upon receipt of such views and objections the matter will be considered by a committee of experts and that process could not have been completed by that date.

On Wednesday senior advocate Prashant Bhushan said India is the centre for biodiversity and mustard. And commercialisation of mustard is not good.

When Additional Solicitor General PS Narasimha was requested to file a compiled report before the bench, Bhushan said that the government was “not considering our recommendation and that is why this is pending. If they consider our recommendation then they can challenge. So what is the use of that?”

All the connected matters will come together after 12 weeks.

—India Legal Bureau