- The Central Government has defended the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, before the Supreme Court, emphasizing that the legislation is restoring the dignity, livelihoods, and cultural identity of India’s forest-dependent communities.
- The FRA, was challenged in the Supreme Court in 2008 by Wildlife First, an NGO which called for the eviction of people whose FRA claims had been rejected.
- In February 2019, the court directed states to evict all claimants whose FRA claims had been rejected.
- This triggered widespread protests by tribal organizations and civil society groups across India.
- The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) subsequently intervened, highlighting serious procedural lapses in the verification and approval of claims. Read More
Government Defends Forest Rights Act in Supreme Court
Context
Background
