ROLE OF THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION: A STUDY OF JUDICIAL ACTIVISM AND ENVIRONMENTAL JURISPRUDENCE

AUTHOR – DR. RAJEEV KUMAR SINGH* & PRAGATI SRIVASTAVA**

* PROFESSOR AT AMITY UNIVERSITY UTTAR PRADESH LUCKNOW CAMPUS

** STUDENT AT AMITY UNIVERSITY UTTAR PRADESH LUCKNOW CAMPUS

BEST CITATION – DR. RAJEEV KUMAR SINGH & PRAGATI SRIVASTAVA, ROLE OF THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION: A STUDY OF JUDICIAL ACTIVISM AND ENVIRONMENTAL JURISPRUDENCE, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (1) OF 2026, PG.984-987, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.

Abstract

Environmental degradation has emerged as one of the most pressing challenges in modern India. While industrial growth and economic development were prioritized in the postindependence era, environmental concerns gained prominence particularly after the Bhopal Gas Tragedy and global environmental movements. The Supreme Court of India has played a transformative role in developing environmental jurisprudence by expanding the scope of Article 21 of the Constitution to include the right to a clean and healthy environment. Through doctrines such as the Public Trust Doctrine, Polluter Pays Principle, Precautionary Principle, and Sustainable Development, the judiciary has strengthened environmental governance in India. This paper critically examines the constitutional framework, landmark observation, and the evolving role of judicial activism in environmental protection, with special reference to M.C. Mehta v. Kamal Nath and other leading cases. It also evaluates the challenges and future direction of environmental adjudication in India.

Keywords – Environmental Jurisprudence, Judicial Activism, Article 21, Public Trust Doctrine, Polluter Pays Principle, Sustainable Development, Supreme Court of India