No commercial release of GM mustard for now

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the commercial release of genetically modified (GM) mustard crop in India and asked the central government to first

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the commercial release of genetically modified (GM) mustard crop in India and asked the central government to first take suggestion and views of the public on the controversial subject.

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A bench of Chief Justice TS Thakur and Justice AM Khanwilkar told the Centre not to commercially release GM mustard till October 17, when it will hear the issue in detail. Additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta agreed with the bench’s direction.

Mustard is one of India’s most important winter crops which is sown between mid-October and late November. The court was hearing a plea filed by activist Aruna Rodrigues seeking a stay on the commercial release of GM Mustard crop and prohibition of its open field trials.

Rodrigues’s plea sought to prohibit open field trials and commercial release of Herbicide Tolerant (HT) crops, including HT Mustard DMH 11 and its parent variants.