Key Dates and Timeline

  • Supreme Court order dated: June 09, 2026
  • Order uploaded on Supreme Court website: June 12, 2026 at 5:53 p.m.
  • Company received order from Legal Counsel: June 15, 2026 at 12:33 p.m. via electronic communication
  • Corporate Announcement filed with BSE: June 15, 2026 at 12:48 p.m.
  • BSE query date: June 16, 2026
  • Company response date: June 16, 2026

Supreme Court Order Details

Case: Writ Petition (Civil) Diary No. 35746/2026 (Karanartham Viramah Foundation vs. State of Maharashtra & Anr.)

Bench: Hon'ble Mr. Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Hon'ble Mr. Justice Atul S. Chandurkar

Subject: Challenge to Maharashtra government's order dated January 14, 2026 granting iron ore mining lease to Deccan Gold Mines Limited in Gadchiroli District, Maharashtra.

Legal Background and Company's Position

  • Mining lease application made by company: July 02, 2010
  • Prospecting licence granted to company: October 13, 2006
  • Prospecting License Deed executed: July 18, 2008
  • Prospecting report submitted: June 28, 2010
  • State Government recommendation to Central Government for mining lease: June 30, 2011
  • Central Government prior approval under Section 5(1) of MMDR Act: May 18, 2012
  • The company enjoyed preferential rights under Section 11(1) of Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation Act, 1957

Court's Rationale for Dismissal

1. The company had accrued "vested rights" before 2015 through the recommendation and approval process

2. For minerals listed in the First Schedule (including iron ore), disposal of application occurs upon State Government recommendation to Central Government, not upon formal communication

3. Section 10A (introduced in 2015) applies only to pending applications, not those already decided

4. The State Government obtained legal opinion from the Attorney General of India and consulted with State Law Department

5. No mining operations can commence without statutory approvals (mining plan, environment clearance, forest clearance)

Outcome

  • Public Interest Litigation dismissed by Supreme Court
  • Writ Petition stands dismissed
  • All pending applications disposed of
  • Mining lease grant to Deccan Gold Mines Limited upheld as legal

Financial Impact

Financial impact not quantified in the disclosure.