MEENAKSHI METACAST (P) LTD Vs. STATE OF RAJASTHAN

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THIS batch of 22 writ petitions is being disposed of by common order since the controversy involved in these cases is common and the facts of Writ Petition No.8830/2011 (Meenakshi Metacast (P) Ltd. vs. State of Rajasthan & ors.) are illustratively taken for the said purpose.

(2.) THE petitioners came to this Court challenging the impugned order issued by the Deputy Secretary, Mining Department, Govt. of Rajasthan on 10/3/2010 (Annex.6) reserving the notified Scheduled Tribe areas for mining of major minerals for which Reconnaissance Permits/Prospecting License/ Mining Lease in the specified areas of the State of Rajasthan are to be notified in which the backward class people of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe and other Tribal people live and to allow the mining of minerals reserved in the said notified area only to the Govt. of Rajasthan Undertaking, namely; Rajasthan State Mines & Mineral Limited ('RSMM' for short).

(3.) IN pursuance of the said order dated 10/3/2010, the applications of the petitioners came to be straightaway rejected after about one year vide Annex.10 dated 15/3/2011, admittedly, without giving any opportunity of hearing to the petitioner-applicants and also forfeiting their application fees of Rs.5,000.00 deposited by the petitioners. Aggrieved of the same, the present petitioners approached this court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India by present set of writ petitions.