Great Nicobar Project Faces Legal Hurdle Over Sub-12% Gram Sabha Attendance
Why it matters
The ambitious infrastructure plan for Great Nicobar—which includes an international transshipment terminal, a power plant, and an airport—is now under legal scrutiny due to procedural lapses in obtaining local consent. Under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Forest Rights) Act, 2006, the diversion of forest land in tribal areas requires the formal nod of the Gram Sabha. This process is only valid if a quorum of 50% of the village's adult population is met.
The attendance figures presented in court show a massive shortfall, with participation recorded as low as 1% in some instances. This gap between legal requirements and ground reality puts the project's environmental and tribal clearances at risk. If the court finds the consent process was flawed, it may mandate a redo of the consultations, significantly impacting the project timeline and testing the state's adherence to indigenous rights for groups like the Shompen and Nicobarese.
Glossary
Quorum: The minimum number of members of an assembly or society that must be present at any of its meetings to make the proceedings of that meeting valid.
Gram Sabha: A body consisting of persons registered in the electoral rolls relating to a village comprised within the area of a Panchayat at the village level.NaukriSync Exam Angle
Environment & Polity. Key fact: The Forest Rights Act (2006) mandates a 50% quorum for Gram Sabha approvals regarding forest land diversion. Focus on the legal protections for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) and the role of the Calcutta High Court, which holds jurisdiction over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.