Supreme Court Quashes Jail Order Against Bareilly Mayor in NGT Waste Dumping Case

The Supreme Court set aside the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) order sentencing Bareilly’s Mayor and Municipal Commissioner to civil imprisonment over solid waste dumping.

The Court held that Section 26(1) of the NGT Act is penal in nature and must be strictly interpreted. Since no proof showed the Mayor had the authority to stop the dumping, he couldn’t be held liable.

The Court also accepted the Mayor’s apology for criticizing the NGT. While personal penalties were quashed, the ₹1 lakh/day fine on Bareilly Municipal Corporation for failing to remove waste remained.

The case arose from waste dumping at Razau Paraspur village in 2013.