India’s push to commercially implement GM mustard, approved by GEAC in 2022, has faced stiff opposition. The Supreme Court will hear petitions challenging its rollout on April 15, 2025, following a 2024 verdict questioning procedural gaps and regulatory transparency.

BulletsIn

• Supreme Court to hear GM mustard case on April 15, 2025
• GEAC approved GM mustard (DMH-11) for environmental release in 2022
• Developed at Delhi University by crossing Varuna and Early Heera-2 mustard
• Contains 3 genes: barnase, barstar (for sterility and pollination), bar (herbicide resistance)
• Environmentalists fear biodiversity loss, new weeds, and health risks
• Critics cite past failure of Bt cotton: declining yields, pest return, bee loss
• Farmers fear dependency on corporate-controlled seeds, rising costs
• Court earlier found lack of indigenous studies; GEAC relied on foreign data
• India lacks clear guidelines for herbicide-tolerant crop safety
• Activists demand transparent policy, biosafety disclosure, and farmer protection