India, Dec. 30 -- Amid the controversies over the new definition of Aravallis, the Supreme Court on Monday kept in abeyance its November 20 directions that accepted a uniform definition of these hills and ranges, saying there is a need to resolve "critical ambiguities" including whether the 100-metre elevation and the 500-metre gap between hills criteria will strip a significant portion of the range of environmental protection.

Proposing to constitute a high-powered expert panel, a vacation bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said it seemed prima facie that the earlier report of a committee and the verdict had "omitted to expressly clarify certain critical issues" and there is a "dire need to further probe" to prevent any r...