In Brief
In this landmark environmental and mining law case, the Supreme Court held that the State of Goa violated its earlier directions (Goa Foundation, 2014) by granting second renewals instead of fresh mining leases for iron ore extraction. The Court found the renewals hastily granted without considering violations by miners, environmental damage, and statutory requirements under Section 8(3) of the MMDR Act. While holding that competitive bidding is not constitutionally mandated, the Court found the State's decision arbitrary and contrary to public interest. The Court quashed the second renewals, required fresh environmental clearances, and directed recovery of amounts due for illegal mining. Mining operations were allowed until 15 March 2018 to wind down affairs.",
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