NGT Environmental Parties Record 0 percent Success Rate in Appeals Decided From January to June: Report

Environmental and public-interest parties did not secure a favourable ruling in any of the appeals decided on merits by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) during the first six months of 2026, according to an analysis of tribunal cases. The review, conducted by the South Asian Reporter for Environment Laws (SAREL), examined 119 appeals decided by the NGT between January and June 2026 across its five benches.

Of these cases, 67 were decided on merits, while the remaining 52 were disposed of on procedural grounds, including issues related to limitation, jurisdiction, maintainability and withdrawal. Among the 67 appeals decided on merits, 16 were filed by environmental or public-interest parties. None of these appeals resulted in a favourable order, giving the category a reported success rate of zero during the period.

Industry groups, project proponents and property owners filed 51 of the merit-based appeals. According to the assessment, favourable orders were issued in 30 of those cases, representing a success rate of about 58.8 per cent. The findings varied across the NGT's benches. At the Western Zone Bench, nine environmental or public-interest appeals were decided on merits, with none receiving a favourable outcome. Industry, project proponents and property owners secured favourable orders in 15 of their 24 merit appeals there.

At the Southern Zone Bench, the sole environmental appeal examined was dismissed, while nine out of 12 merit appeals filed by industry, project proponents and property owners received favourable orders. The Principal Bench in Delhi also dismissed the two environmental appeals included in the analysis. Five of the 10 industry or project-proponent appeals received favourable orders, while three resulted in the status quo being maintained.

The report also highlighted the significance of procedural outcomes. Since 52 of the 119 appeals did not reach a decision on the underlying merits, the 0 per cent figure applies specifically to environmental and public-interest appeals that were decided on merits, rather than all environmental matters brought before the tribunal.

The assessment comes amid wider discussions about the role of environmental adjudication in India. The NGT, established in 2010, handles disputes involving environmental protection, conservation and related legal issues. The six-month analysis provides a snapshot of NGT appellate outcomes during the first half of 2026. It does not, by itself, establish a long-term trend or explain the reasons behind the outcome of individual cases. The findings were reported around an NGT international conference in New Delhi that brought together legal and environmental experts to discuss emerging challenges in environmental and climate law.