TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: There is no clarity on whether the special leave petition (SLP) filed by non governmental organization Goa Foundation before the Supreme Court seeking stay against the High Court order directing the state government to execute lease deeds of 27 mining leases, would be coming up for hearing on Monday, October 13, as adjourned earlier. The Supreme Court case list does not highlight it
Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni and Director Mines Prasanna Acharya are in New Delhi for the case.
Speaking to Herald from Delhi, Nadkarni said that the case is scheduled for Monday but however, it is not mentioned on the list. There is also a rumor amongst the lawyers here that the forest bench, which is hearing the case, is likely to be changed.
“Will have to wait till 10.30 am on Monday to see the position of the case,” he said. If not Monday, the case might be taken up on Friday.
The State is likely to inform SC about its drafted Mining Lease Policy that has categorized all the mines into three categories based on its legal status. The policy speaks about renewing mining leases under section 8(3) of Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation (MMDR) Act 1957.
Government has already made it clear that of the total 27, there are few that are been investigated for violation of section 37 and 38 of Mineral Concession Rule (MCR) 1961 and that their leases would not be renewed pending investigation.
Last month, SLP was filed before the Apex Court, who agreed to make all the 27 writ petitioners (mining lease holders) from the High Court as respondents, as pleaded by the petitioner. The Goa Foundation had filed the SLP with only Sesa Sterlite as the main respondent.
