GM mustard policy: SC gives govt. time

The government had assured the court that there would be no commercial release of genetically modified seeds till the views of the public were collected and placed before the appraisal committee.

The hearing was conducted on the basis of a petition filed by activist Aruna Rodrigues, who had alleged that the government was sowing GM seeds without the relevant tests.

Mustard is one of India’s most important winter crops, sown between mid-October and late November.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for Ms. Rodrigues, alleged the government was sowing the seeds in various fields and that the bio-safety dossier, which has to be made public by putting it on the website, had not yet been done.