Page No.# 1/9 GAHC040002312026 THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH) (ITANAGAR BENCH) Case No. : IA(C)/53/2026 Jaha Mele and 7 Ors Son of Chee Mele, permanent resident of Etalin Head Quarter, PO and PS Anini, Dibang Valley District, Arunachal Pradesh 2: Yona Mele Age: Occupation : Son of Kakoma Mele permanent resident of Etalin Head Quarter PO and PS Anini Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh 3: Akhato Mele Age: Occupation : Son of Borage Mele permanent resident of Etalin Head Quarter PO and PS Anini Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh 4: Natri Mele Age: Occupation : Son of Gete Mele permanent resident of Etalin Head Quarter PO and PS Anini Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh 5: Sondo Mele Age: Page No.# 2/9 Occupation : Son of Yona Mele permanent resident of Etalin Head Quarter PO and PS Anini Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh 6: Bailo Mele Age: Occupation : Son of Jibu mele permanent resident of Etalin Head Quarter PO and PS Anini Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh 7: Lunju Mele Age: Occupation : Son of Jibu Mele permanent resident of Etalin Head Quarter PO and PS Anini Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh 8: Emuhu Mele Age: Occupation : Son of Late Rukhu Mele permanent resident of Etiyee village PO and PS Anini Dibang Valley District Arunachal Prades VERSUS The State of AP and 6 Ors represented by the Chief Secretary, Govt of Arunachal Pradesh, Civil Secretariat, Itanagar 2:The Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Age: 0 Occupation : Govt of Arunachal Pradesh Itanagar 3:The Conservator of Forest (Cons) Age: 0 Occupation : Department of Environment and Forest Page No.# 3/9 Govt of Arunachal Pradesh Itanagar 4:The Chief Conservator of Forest Age: 0 Occupation : EAC Tezu Department of Environment and Forest District Lohit Arunachal Pradesh 5:The Divisional Forest Officer Age: 0 Occupation : Anini Social Forestry Division Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh 6:The Deputy Commssioenr cum Forest Ssettlemtnt Officer Age: 0 Occupation : Anini Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh Cum Forest Settlement Officer 7:The Secretary Age: 0 Occupation : General Administration Govt of Arunachal Pradesh Civil Secretariat Itanaga Advocate for the Petitioner : Muchi Mele, Advocate for the Respondent : GA (AP), Linked Case : WP(C)/338/2024 Komane Mele and 14 Ors Age: 62 Occupation : Page No.# 4/9 Address:Son of Late Dibi Mele permanent resident of Apunli Village PO and PS Anini Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh 2: Azad Mele Age: 40 Occupation : Address:Son of Dibi Mele permanent resident of Etalin Bridge Point PO and PS Anini Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh 3: Tagini Mele Age: 30 Occupation : Address:Son of Komane Mele permanent resident of Etalin Bridge Point PO and PS Anini Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh 4: Bailo Mele Age: 43 Occupation : Address:Son of Jibu mele permanent resident of Etalin Head Quarter PO and PS Anini Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh 5: Yona Mele Age: 54 Occupation : Address:Son of Kakoma Mele permanent resident of Etalin Head Quarter PO and PS Anini Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh 6: Natri Mele Age: 26 Occupation : Address:Son of Gete Mele permanent resident of Etalin Head Quarter PO and PS Anini Dibang Valley District Page No.# 5/9 Arunachal Pradesh 7: Raj Mele Age: 32 Occupation : Address:Son of Mukuli Mele permanent resident of Apunli village PO and PS Anini Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh 8: Anta Mele Age: 26 Occupation : Address:Son of Baha Mele permanent resident of Etalin Bridge Point PO and PS Anini Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh 9: Japani Mele Age: 40 Occupation : Address:Son of Baha Mele permanent resident of Etalin Bridge Point PO and PS Anini Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh 10: Sondo Mele Age: 32 Occupation : Address:Son of Yona Mele permanent resident of Etalin Head Quarter PO and PS Anini Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh 11: Taya Mele Age: 32 Occupation : Address:Son Komane Mele permanent resident of Etalin Bridge Point PO and PS Anini Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh 12: Emuhu Mele Page No.# 6/9 Age: 55 Occupation : Address:Son of Late Rukhu Mele permanent resident of Etiyee village PO and PS Anini Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh 13: Jaha Mele Age: 22 Occupation : Address:Son of Chee Mele permanent resident of Etalin Head Quarter PO and PS Anini Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh 14: Lunju Mele Age: 58 Occupation : Address:Son of Jibu Mele permanent resident of Etalin Head Quarter PO and PS Anini Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh 15: Akhato Mele Age: 45 Occupation : Address:Son of Borage Mele permanent resident of Etalin Head Quarter PO and PS Anini Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh VERSUS The State of AP and 6 Ors Age: 0 Occupation : Address:represented by the Chief Secretary Govt of Arunachal Pradesh Civil Secretariat Itanagar 2:The Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Age: 0 Occupation : Address:Department of Environment and Forest Govt of Arunachal Pradesh Page No.# 7/9 Itanagar 3:The Conservator of Foreset (Cons) Age: 0 Occupation : Address:Department of Enviormnent and Forest Govt of Arunachal Pradesh Itanagar 4:The Chief Conservator of Forest Age: 0 Occupation : Address:EAC Tezu Department of Environment and Forest District Lohit Arunachal Pradesh 5:The Divisional Forest Officer Age: 0 Occupation : Address:Anini Social Forestry Division Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh 6:The Deputy Commissioner cum Forest Settlement Officer Age: 0 Occupation : Address:Anini Dibang Valley District Arunachal Pradesh Cum Forest Settlement Officer 7:The Secretary Age: 0 Occupation : Address:General Administration Govt of Arunachal Pradesh Civil Secretariat Itanagar ------------ Advocate for : Rintu Saikia Advocate for : GA (AP) appearing for The State of AP and 6 Ors: Advocate , Page No.# 8/9 BEFORE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE KARDAK ETE ORDER Date : 18-02-2026 Heard Ms. M. Mele, learned counsel for the applicants. Also heard Mr. Y. Riram, learned Government Advocate for the State respondents. 2. This is an application praying for striking out the names of the Petitioner Nos. 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 13, 14 & 15 in the connected writ petition being WP(C) No. 338/(AP)2024. 3. The applicants, along with some other petitioners, have filed the writ petition being WP(C) No. 338/(AP)2024 challenging the Certificate of Mutation dated 18.12.2017, whereby the scheduled land was mutated in the name of the State Environment & Forest Department, Government of Arunachal Pradesh; the Preliminary Notification dated 06.08.2019 issued by the Principal Secretary (Environment & Forest) proposing to constitute the scheduled land as Village Forest Reserve (VFR); and the Proclamation dated 01.07.2024 constituting the scheduled land as Village Forest Reserve (VFR), on the ground that they are landowners. However, during the pendency of the writ petition, the applicants came to know that they are not the landowners. Therefore, they are no longer interested in pursuing the writ petition. 4. Having considered that the applicants are not land owners, for which Certificate of Mutation dated 18.12.2017, the Preliminary Notification, dated 06.08.2019 and the Proclamation dated 01.07.2024 were issued and considering that they are no longer interested to pursue the matter as well as, as agreed to by the learned counsels for the parties, this interlocutory application is allowed. Page No.# 9/9 5. Accordingly, the names of the applicants, being Petitioner Nos. 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 13, 14 & 15, be struck off from the array of petitioners in WP(C) No. 338/ (AP)2024. 6. The interlocutory application stands disposed of. JUDGE Comparing Assistant