Centre asks SC to withdraw its order against GM mustard

The government on Tuesday asked the Supreme Court to vacate its November order that restrained environmental release of genetically modified (GM) mustard, saying "the huge policy implications involved deserve early resolution" of the matter as the growing season is fast approaching in September and October.

A bench led by Justices BV Nagarathna asked the petitioners, including Gene Campaign and a group of activists led by Aruna Rodrigues, to file their objections to the Centre's application seeking discharge of its statements made to the court. The government said the assurance given by its counsel that the process would not be taken forward was not intended to halt the entire process of research and testing.

The petitioners had last year sought a moratorium on the commercial release of GM mustard after it was cleared in October by the government. The apex court then asked the parties to maintain status quo on the cultivation of the oil seed and sought a status report from the government on the production of GM mustard.


The case will now be taken up for hearing next week.

In its new application, the government on Tuesday told the SC that a post-release monitoring committee under the chairmanship of PK Chakrabarty, a former member of the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board, did not report any non-compliance of stipulated conditions in regard to the environmental release of the GM mustard hybrid, DMH-11.

Further, the committee observed that the trial was in excellent condition, with the required agronomic practices at each site being followed, the government said, adding that the panel had even noted that there was no evidence to indicate any legitimate scientific concern against the decision of conditional approval granted by the government.

The affidavit said developing productive GM hybrids will enhance productivity and reduce the dependency on imports as the current edible oil consumption in India surpasses the domestic production rate.