This is a report of the national level public hearing on community forest rights. The Public Hearing was organised by CFR-LA and AJAM along with other people’s networks and forums on the 14th of December 2013 at the Constitution Club of India, New Delhi. Nearly 250 participants from national and regional civil society organizations, networks and forums and activists from 13 states were present at the hearing. The hearing focused on the status of recognition of community forest rights, the challenges faced by the local communities in claiming as well as exercising their rights, issues relating to the assertion of their rights for establishing community forest governance and diversion of forest lands without gram sabha consent. A panel of distinguished members from civil society organizations, judiciary, policy makers and people’s representatives heard testimonies presented by community members from different states.