SC refuses to interfere in coal block auction

The Supreme Court has refused to interfere in the coal block auction process, thereby allowing the Centre to go ahead in accordance with the Coal Mines Ordinance after a petition was filed for the same.

According to reports, the bench consisting of Justices J Chelameswar and Rohinton F Nariman further set aside an order by the Calcutta High Court, directing the government to mention share its auction notice, following a dispute related to a coal mine in West Bengal.

Media reports stated that the apex court also recorded Attorney General of India Mukul Rohatgi's undertaking that the government has decided to not put any of the end-use plants of the licensee or lease holder, whose allocations now stand quashed by the court, up for auction as a matter of policy.

Rohatgi added that the government has said that it is willing to earmark the portion of the land occupied by the end-user plant falling within the coal block area, and exclude it from the auction process so that their rights of property remain intact.