NGT refuses to lift stay on Assam order deploying forest force for polls

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on April 8 declined to recall its earlier order that stayed the Assam government’s decision to deploy around 1,600 personnel of the Assam Forest Protection Force (AFPF) for election duties ahead of Thursday’s assembly polls.

A bench comprising judicial member Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member Ishwar Singh said the state’s directive showed clear legal infirmities and did not justify interference with the tribunal’s interim order issued on April 2.

“We are of the considered view that the impugned order… suffers from patent illegality,” the bench observed, underscoring concerns over diverting forest protection personnel from their primary responsibilities.

The tribunal further stated, “no ground for recall/modification… is made out,” confirming that the earlier stay will remain in force until a final decision is reached on the matter.

The ruling comes days before Assam heads to the polls, adding an administrative constraint on the state’s election preparedness while reinforcing the tribunal’s position on the use of specialised environmental protection forces.