CASE ANALYSIS: HANUMAN LAXMAN AROSKAR V. UNION OF INDIA (2019)

AUTHOR – YASH TODI, SCHOOL OF LAW, BENNETT UNIVERSITY, GREATER NOIDA, INDIA.

BEST CITATION – YASH TODI, CASE ANALYSIS: HANUMAN LAXMAN AROSKAR V. UNION OF INDIA (2019), INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (7) OF 2026, PG. 562-567, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344. DOI – https://doi.org/10.65393/IJLRV6I762

Abstract

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the Supreme Court’s decision in Hanuman Laxman Aroskar v. Union of India, a pivotal case concerning the expansion of the Mopa Airport in Goa. The litigation centered on the alleged procedural irregularities in the grant of Environmental Clearance (EC), specifically deficiencies in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report and the failure to conduct meaningful public consultations. The Supreme Court, setting aside the previous orders of the National Green Tribunal, underscored that procedural compliance in environmental governance is not a mere formality but a constitutional mandate essential for sustainable development. The judgment reinforces the principle that administrative discretion in environmental matters must be exercised with transparency, accountability, and adherence to natural justice. This analysis explores the court’s rationale, its implications for the EIA framework, and the ongoing tension between infrastructural development and ecological preservation in Indian jurisprudence.

Keywords: Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Environmental Clearance, Natural Justice, Sustainable Development, Procedural Fairness, Judicial Review, Mopa Airport.