India, April 3 -- Even as the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has put an immediate stay on the Assam government's decision to deploy over 1,600 Assam Forest Protection Force (AFPF) personnel for election duty, the state's forest department appears to be preparing for a legal pushback instead of compliance-raising serious questions over intent and priorities.

A two-member bench of the NGT's Eastern Zone, comprising Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and Expert Member Ishwar Singh, on Thursday stayed the March 19 order that directed large-scale mobilisation of AFPF personnel for poll duty.

The tribunal also issued notices to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the National Biodiversity Authority, the Principal Chief Conse...