Coal Ministry mulls transfer petitions in mine deallocation cases

The Coal Ministry is working on a proposal that all cases filed against the government following the deallocation of mines be transfered to the Supreme Court which is already looking into the issue.

According to an official document, coal mine allocatees have filed 94 cases in different courts against the government orders for deallocation and Bank Guarantee deduction, and it has proposed transfer petitions (TPs) in all such cases so that they can be heard at one forum -- the apex court.

"80 coal blocks have been deallocated. In addition, orders for imposition/forfeiture/deduction of bank guarantee have also been issued in 42 cases. In a large number of cases, block allocatees have filed court cases against these orders and at present, 94 court cases in different courts have been filed,"



said the Coal Ministry document.

"It is proposed to transfer petitions in all such cases in the Supreme Court so that all such cases can be heard at one forum i.e. The Supreme Court which is already looking into the entire coal block allocation," it said.
There is a need to expedite filing of such TPs and decisions thereon so that de-allocated coal blocks could be offered for allocation under the new dispensation i.E auction by competitive bidding, the document said.

"There is a need to get interim orders granting stay on deallocation and/or not creating third party interest in the deallocated coal blocks, vacated so that de-allocated blocks could be offered for auction," it said.

An inter-ministerial group (IMG) was formed in 2012 to review the progress of coal blocks allocated to firms for captive use and recommend action, including de-allocation.

Of the total 328 coal blocks identified for allocation for captive purposes, the government has so far allocated 218 blocks. The government has so far deallocated 80 coal blocks.PTI