In a significant relief to tribal and traditional forest-dwelling communities, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered a temporary halt on forest eviction drives in Assam, directing authorities to maintain status quo until land records are properly verified. The order came while hearing petitions challenging recent eviction actions in several reserved forest areas of the state.
A Bench of the apex court observed that eviction of residents living within forest land cannot be carried out without due process and proper verification of documentary evidence, including entries in jamabandi (land revenue) records. The court underlined that long-standing occupation, particularly by Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers, requires careful scrutiny under existing legal safeguards.
The court also noted that occupation of land within a forest area may not automatically amount to illegal encroachment if residents are able to establish lawful rights or protection under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. It stressed that eviction drives must comply with constitutional guarantees under Articles 14 and 21, ensuring fairness, reasonableness and protection of livelihood.
During the hearing, the Assam government informed the court that it would constitute a joint committee comprising officials from the Revenue and Forest departments to examine the claims of affected villagers. The committee is expected to verify land records and assess whether residents are entitled to protection under forest and land laws.
The petitions before the court alleged that eviction drives were being conducted across multiple reserved forests, including areas in Golaghat and other districts, without adequate notice or verification, displacing families who claim to have lived there for decades. Petitioners argued that such actions violated legal procedures and ignored protections available to indigenous and forest-dependent communities.
The Supreme Court directed that no coercive action be taken against the petitioner villages until further orders and sought detailed reports on the verification process. The matter will be heard again after the state submits its findings.
The interim order is being seen as a crucial intervention amid growing concerns over large-scale eviction drives in Assam, as it balances the state’s responsibility to protect forest land with the rights and livelihoods of tribal and traditional forest-dwelling populations.
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