Now Reading: Uttarakhand cabinet clears 38 hectares for new high court complex in Haldwani
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Uttarakhand cabinet clears 38 hectares for new high court complex in Haldwani
Uttarakhand cabinet clears 38 hectares for new high court complex in Haldwani
The Uttarakhand cabinet on Friday approved the transfer of 38 hectares of forest land at Lamachaur in Haldwani for a new high court complex. The current high court in Nainital, a heritage…
The Story in Brief
The Uttarakhand cabinet on Friday approved the transfer of 38 hectares of forest land at Lamachaur in Haldwani for a new high court complex. The current high court in Nainital, a heritage building from 1900, cannot be renovated. Pending cases have surged from 356 in 2000 to 61,859 as of July 2026. The Supreme Court had directed the state to transfer identified land within six weeks, following a petition by the High Court Bar Association challenging an earlier court order for a lawyer referendum on the move.
Separately, a public interest litigation has been filed in the high court itself challenging the full court resolution of June 19, 2026 that identified 40 hectares of reserve forest land for the complex, alleging violation of the Forest Conservation Act and that the site is an elephant corridor. The state cabinet also cleared other decisions, including extending the Ganga Expressway, expanding cattle subsidy schemes, and new wage and industrial relations rules.
The Indian Opinion
Two competing narratives are emerging around this shift. The government and high court cite capacity crisis and heritage constraints, pointing to pending cases jumping from 356 in 2000 to over 61,000. Critics like advocate Umesh Chandra Shah, as reported by Barandbench, smell a move driven by non-hilly interests, alleging violation of forest laws on an elephant corridor. Both sides claim court orders back them. The real test will be the Supreme Court's response to the fresh PIL and whether the central government grants forest clearance under the Forest Conservation Act.
Sources (2): hindustantimes.com, barandbench.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
