#National Highways Authority of India

The Delhi High Court struck down NHAI’s two-year debarment of SAI Consulting, ruling that blacklisting is an extraordinary sanction that can be imposed only after showing serious misconduct and affording a fair hearing. The decision limits agencies to use debarment proportionately, protecting contractors from punitive bans for mere contractual lapses.

Bombay High Court permits diversion of 9.2498 hectares of mangrove forest for an 8-lane highway to Vadhavan Port, holding that public utility outweighs environmental concerns under the Public Trust Doctrine, subject to strict compensatory afforestation. The ruling sets a precedent for future infrastructure projects requiring environmental clearances.