In Brief
The appellant sought to excavate minor minerals under a lease granted on 17 October 2013. The High Court found the lease violated its earlier orders from 2013 and 2014 declaring that after a notification of 31 May 2012 (opening vacant areas for competitive auction under Chapter IV of the Mining Rules), no leases could be granted under Chapter VI. The Supreme Court upheld the High Court, holding that once such a notification is issued, the legal position cannot be altered by mere grant/approval. A subsequent government order withdrawing the notification in 2014 could not cure the defect, as it was issued after the lease was already granted. The appeal was dismissed and the matter remitted to the High Court for final disposal.
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