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Synopsis

The Supreme Court today questioned the Centre's appointment of a new expert committee to review the banning of pesticides.

"We want you to tell us the need behind appointing a new committee..it seems you keep appointing committees till you get a favourable decision..we want to know what the occasion to appoint the Rajendran Committee..", a CJI DY Chandrachud led bench asked.

A PIL was filed before the top court by Vanashakti seeking to ban 99 harmful pesticides that are used in India but have been banned by other countries.

When the plea was taken up today, ASG Vikramjit Banerjee told the bench also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, "A Committee has already been formed..Is this the forum to agitate all these issues".

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioners, objected to this and said, "They have now appointed a fourth committee to say what they want, the first three committees, all recommended banning of 27 pesticides..".

Bhushan added that in December 2015 the Dr. Anupam Varma Committee had categorically recommended a ban on 13 pesticides, the Dr. SK Malhotra Committee in 2017 reiterated the need for a continued ban on 27 pesticides in, and the SK Khurana, who reviewed the same 27 pesticides, sent the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare (MoFAW) a draft notification in May 2020, proposing to ban certain pesticides.

"When every ingredient of Section 27 was satisfied, what was the need of appointing a new committee? A list of 27 hazardous pesticides was already made, then they again appointed a new one and invited suggestions..", Bhushan added.

On being asked about the procedure followed by these committees, ASG Banerjee sought some time to apprise the bench.

"We are now clear about the situation in our heads.. so we will keep it on Tuesday...", ordered CJI Chandrachud.

Case Title: Vanashakti vs. Union of India