Important Legal Definitions
Explore legal terms, clear definitions and practical examples.
Public Trust Doctrine
Constitutional & Public Law Doctrines
Definition
A common law and constitutional doctrine (M.C. Mehta v. Kamal Nath) establishing that certain natural resources (such as rivers, sea shores, forests, and air) are held by the State in trust for the general public and cannot be converted into private commercial ownership.
Example
The State government leases protected riverbed land to an international hotel resort to build an amusement park; the Supreme Court quashes the lease under the Public Trust Doctrine, directing the restoration of the river ecology.