The Congress party and environmental advocates have welcomed a Supreme Court decision on December 29, 2025, to stay its own November 20 order that had adopted a controversial “100-metre definition” for the Aravalli Hills and Range — a move that sparked widespread concern over ecological protection. The apex court’s latest order keeps the earlier directives in abeyance and proposes the formation of a high-powered expert panel to reassess the definition comprehensively, responding to public outcry and technical ambiguities raised by environmentalists, activists and political opponents. The stay temporarily halts any implementation tied to the contentious benchmark while ensuring that irreversible actions based on the previous framework are avoided.

Rajasthan Congress leaders and activists described the judgment as a significant step toward safeguarding the Aravalli ecosystem, which stretches across multiple states and plays a vital role in biodiversity, groundwater recharge and climate balance in north-western India. They had strongly protested the idea of excluding landforms below the 100-metre threshold, warning that such a definition could open large swathes of ecologically sensitive terrain to mining, development and environmental degradation. Congress representatives praised the court for recognising the seriousness of these concerns and agreed that broader scientific input and stakeholder consultation are essential before finalising any definition that affects legal protection and land use.