SC: HCs Must Keep Their Hands Away When Apex Court Is Seized Of A Matter
SC directed that proceedings in the matter pending before the High Court are withdrawn from the High Court of Uttarakhand and transferred to it.
By Sumit Saxena
Published : October 30, 2025 at 8:17 PM IST
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has expressed its discontent with the Uttarakhand High Court for entertaining a plea and putting on hold a sanction order, which was passed during the pendency of proceedings before it regarding illegal constructions and felling of trees in the Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve, saying "when this court is seized of the matter it is expected of the high courts to keep their hands away".
A bench led by Chief Justice of India B R Gavai, in an order dated October 15, said: "The high court, no doubt, is a constitutional court and not inferior to this court. However, in the judicial matters, when this court is seized of the matter, it is expected of the high courts to keep their hands away. The judge of the high court does not even find it necessary to refer to the proceedings before this court…..the details of the present proceedings are mentioned in writ petition, filed before the high court".
The bench directed that the proceedings in the matter pending before the high court are withdrawn from the High Court of Uttarakhand and transferred to the apex court.
"Until further orders, the order dated 14.10.2025 passed by the High Court of Uttarakhand….shall stand stayed. We also issue notice to Rahul (IFS), Chief Conservator of Forests, (Information Technology), Forest Headquarters…. to remain present before this court on 11.11.2025 and show cause as to why an action for committing contempt of this court be not initiated against him", said the apex court and listed the matter on November 11, 2025.
The court has been monitoring the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged illegal constructions in the Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve. The top court had earlier questioned the state for not granting a sanction for prosecution, and, after its observations last month, the state granted the sanction for prosecution against an officer on September 16.
However, the officer, identified as Rahul, moved before the high court against the sanction order. "The learned Single Judge of the Uttarakhand High Court vide order dated 14th October, 2025 has admitted the matter and granted stay to the effect and operation of the sanction order dated 16.09.2025", said the apex court.
The apex court is seized of a suo moto action pertaining to the illegal constructions and rampant felling of trees in the Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve, and it has been passing orders from time to time.
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