Tribunal Upholds Protection Duty for Assam's Forest Force Amid Election Dispute

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) reaffirmed its decision on Wednesday to prevent 1,600 Assam Forest Protection Force (AFPF) personnel from being deployed for election duties in Assam. The tribunal emphasized that these personnel are vital for protecting the state's biological resources and should not be diverted from their primary roles.

This decision came after the tribunal stayed an order by the Assam government to use the AFPF for the upcoming assembly polls. The tribunal's eastern zonal bench in Kolkata had initially issued the stay based on a plea from advocate Gaurav Bansal, arguing that diverting the force violated statutory obligations under the Biological Diversity Act.

The state government argued that the AFPF personnel were not forest staff and therefore could be used for other duties. However, the tribunal rebutted this, pointing out that their appointment and maintenance are under the jurisdiction of the Chief Conservator of Forests, aligning them with forest staff, as defined under law.