Deccan Gold Mines Limited has submitted a disclosure to the BSE under SEBI LODR Regulation 30, intimating a Supreme Court of India order dated June 9, 2026.

The order was issued in the case of Writ Petition (Civil) Diary No. 35746 of 2026 (Karanartham Viramah Foundation vs. State of Maharashtra & Anr.). The PIL challenged an order dated January 14, 2026, issued by the State of Maharashtra, which communicated the grant of a mining lease for iron ore mining in the Gadchiroli District, Maharashtra, to Respondent No. 2. This grant was based on an application made on July 2, 2010.

The Supreme Court dismissed the PIL, upholding the State's decision. The Court's key findings are:

  • The respondent enjoyed "preferential rights" under Section 11(1) of the MMDR Act, 1957, due to a prospecting license grant (October 13, 2006), deed execution (July 18, 2008), and report submission (June 28, 2010).
  • "Vested rights" had accrued before 2015, evidenced by the State Government's decision and recommendation to the Central Government for grant of the mining lease (June 30, 2011) and the prior approval granted by the Central Government under Section 5(1) (May 18, 2012).
  • For a mineral listed in the First Schedule (like iron ore), the 'disposal' of an application occurs upon the State Government's recommendation to the Central Government for grant, as per the second proviso to Rule 63A of the Mineral Concession Rules, 1960 (MCR).
  • Therefore, the application was not "pending" in 2015 and is not rendered ineligible by Section 10A of the MMDR Act (inserted in 2015), which mandates auctions only for applications pending as of that date.
  • The formal non-communication of the grant order before 2015 does not diminish the accrued and vested right of the concession holder.
  • The provisions of Section 10A and Section 10(4) of the MMDR Act have no applicability to this case.

The Court also noted that the State Government had obtained the legal opinion of the Attorney General of India and consulted its Law Department before issuing the impugned order. The Court mandated that no mining operation shall commence until all statutory approvals (mining plan, environment clearance, forest clearance) are obtained.

Company-Specific Implication: Deccan Gold Mines Limited states that its legal team is undertaking a detailed examination of this judgment and its implications on the pending proceedings concerning the company's Ganajur project.

A copy of the Supreme Court order was enclosed with the disclosure.

The document was signed by Subramaniam Sundaram, Company Secretary & Compliance Officer (Membership No.: A12110), on June 15, 2026.