The bench issued notice on an application challenging the composition of the committee.
New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday reiterated its submissions before the Supreme Court that it will not release genetically modified (GM) mustard without the court’s approval.
Attorney-general Mukul Rohatgi gave this assurance before a three-judge bench of Chief Justice J.S. Khehar and Justices N.V. Ramana and D.Y. Chandrachud, hearing a petition filed by environmentalist Aruna Rodrigues seeking prohibition of open field trials and commercial release of GM mustard.
Counsel Prashant Bhushan sought a moratorium on the release of any genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the environment pending a comprehensive, transparent and rigorous bio-safety protocol in the public domain conducted by agencies of independent expert bodies, the results of which are made public. He also sought a prohibition of open field trials and commercial release of herbicide tolerant (HT) crops, including HT Mustard DMH 11 and its parent lines or variants. The bench issued notice on an application challenging the composition of the committee which is examining whether GM mustard can be cleared or not.
