India, Nov. 30 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday refrained from staying the amendments to the Forest Conservation Act that take effect from December 1 after the Union government assured that no "precipitative action" will be taken until guidelines are framed for an exemption from the definition of the forest under the new law.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) of 13 retired public servants challenging the constitutional validity of the amendments claiming they will be a "death knell" for India's forests. The petitioners moved a stay application claiming that the law restricts the expansive scope of forests the Supreme Court laid down in the ruling in the TN Godavarman case in December 1996.

A bench of justices BR G...