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18 August 2026

Supreme Court on elephant corridors

This is a significant Supreme Court directive regarding environmental governance and wildlife protection, which directly relates to the judiciary's role in enforcing statutory provisions like the Wild Life (Protection) Act.

1 min read 2 questions 1 prelims

Notes

  • The Supreme Court has directed the Union government to conduct a nationwide survey of traditional elephant corridors to ensure free passage for wild herds.
  • The Court emphasized that no State has the authority to block elephant pathways, noting that elephant migration is inter-State and not confined to specific jurisdictions.
  • The judiciary identified that blockading corridors is not an effective solution to human-animal conflict.
  • The Union government is tasked with filing a comprehensive report on the status of these corridors and measures taken to prevent obstructions.
  • The Court reiterated the 2018 prohibition on the use of 'barbaric' deterrents such as fireballs, mashaals (fire-torches), and spikes to chase elephants.
  • The government is mandated to ensure the implementation of the ban on these deterrents, particularly by 'hula' parties.
  • Elephants are classified as Schedule I animals under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, granting them absolute legal protection as a vulnerable species.

Questions

  1. Discuss the legal status of elephant corridors in India and the challenges in balancing wildlife conservation with human-animal conflict mitigation. 150 words
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  2. The protection of migratory species requires a coordinated inter-State approach rather than localized interventions. In the context of recent judicial observations, analyze the role of the Union government in ensuring the integrity of wildlife corridors under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. 250 words
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Prelims

  1. Under which legislation are elephants in India granted absolute legal protection as a Schedule I animal?

Syllabus

Topics

Sources

250words.in · https://250words.in/daily/2026-08-18/supreme-court-on-elephant-corridors