Challenge to M B Shah panel's report is premature: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court today termed as "premature" a plea challenging the report submitted before Parliament by the Justice M B Shah Commission set up in 2010 by the Centre to probe illegal mining across the country.
"This (petition) is premature. How can I pass an order without examining the report?" Justice Manmohan said.
The court, however, granted the petitioners, who hold mining leases in Odisha, time till March 13 to place on record the portions of the panel's report that they claim to have along with an affidavit.
The court had on February 18 also directed the petitioners to place on record, by way of an affidavit, the contents of the panel's report in which, they claim, adverse findings have been recorded against them.

As no such affidavit was filed today, Justice Manmohan did not hear the matter and renotified it on March 13.
The petitioners, R B Das and Narayani Sons Pvt Ltd, who hold mining leases iron ore and manganese in Keonjhar and Sundargarh districts of Odisha, have contended the panel's report states they have violated the Environment Protection Act as well and mined minerals without environment clearance.
They have alleged that the adverse findings were recorded without giving them an opportunity to be heard or examine the allegations made against them by the state government.
R B Das holds two leases for mining iron ore and manganese in villages Dalpahar and Kundrupani of district Keonjhar while Narayani Sons has licences for mining in villages Surguturia and Raikela in districts Keonjhar and Sundargarh of Odisha.