[REWORK, Too short, BG lacking] Top Court pulls up NGT for passing order without hearing parties

The Supreme Court recently pulled up the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for passing an order wherein it had imposed heavy fines, without hearing the parties concerned with the case.

A division bench of Justices BR Gavai and CT Ravikumar made this observation while hearing an appeal filed by the aggrieved party who was fined heavily.

Senior Advocate Ranjit Kumar, appearing for the aggrieved appellant, submitted before the division bench that the impugned order passed by NGT was ordered without hearing his client.

Further, it was contended that the tribunal had ignored findings that the damaging blasts in question were not attributable to the appellant company.

How are these tribunals functioning, passing orders based only on committee reports, without giving notice to parties, observed Justice BR Gavai.

Justice Gavai added that such an action on NGT's part was a "total violation of principles of natural justice".

Moreover, Justice Ravikumar, who was also a part of the bench hearing the appeal, added that there were several such instances with the matters ending up before the top court.

Case Title: M/s Jindal Saw Limited vs. State of Rajasthan and Anr