SC stays HC directions on grant of mining leases

The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the Karnataka High Court’s directions to grant mining leases to two persons on about 60 acres in separate cases. A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta issued notice to Anjaneya P Kadam and Alum Prasanth on two separate special leave petitions filed by the state government, challenging the high court’s directions.

Additional Advocate General Devadatt Kamat, for the Karnataka government, contended the high court had wrongly set aside the notification of January 5, 2013, keeping in abeyance grant of mining lease in 2006 in favour of Kadam for a period of 20 years in relation to 40 acres of land. Similarly, in case of Prasanth, the high court had directed for granting of mining lease in his favour in respect of 19.50 hectares of land.

Kamat contended, in both the cases, there was no forest clearance. A counsel for the lease-holder contended that there was a delay of about 357 days by the state government in challenging the high court’s order.