Will auction coal blocks if cancelled, centre to SC

The central government Monday told the Supreme Court that it stood by the court'ss verdict holding allocation of coal blocks since 1993 as illegal, and said it was ready to auction the coal blocks if they are cancelled.

Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, however, urged the apex court bench headed by Chief Justice R.M. Lodha to consider making exceptions in the case of 46 coal mines which are ready for operations and their end-use plants are also in place.

The government opposed the earlier suggestion to set up a committee headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court to go into the consequences of the court's decision holding the allocation of coal blocks as illegal.

Adjourning the matter after two-hour-long hearing, the court asked all the parties including the central government, miners association and others to file affidavit stating their respective stand in light of its verdict by Sep 8 as it fixed Sep 9 as the next date of hearing.