Guwahati, April 7 -- By Nabarun Guha

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) stayed a recent Assam government order directing the deployment of about 1,600 personnel from the Assam Forest Protection Force (AFPF) for election duty ahead of April 9 state assembly polls.

On March 19, an order from the state's Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department directed forest personnel to assist the state police during the elections between April 3 and return by April 10.

The issue garnered attention when a group of retired bureaucrats and conservationists across the country wrote to the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the chief secretary of Assam seeking immediate withdrawal of the order.

Amid the criticisms, Delhi-based advocate Gaurav ...