THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE L.NARASIMHA REDDY WRIT PETITION No. 22451 of 2008 ORDER: The petitioner submitted an application, dated 30.04.2005, before the fourth respondent with a request to grant mining lease over an extent of 72.197 Hectares of land in survey No.238/A of Yaparlapadu Vi l l ag e, Kallur Mandal, Karnool District. His grievance is that though more than three years have elapsed, no orders have been passed thereon and in the meanwhile, the applications submitted subsequently are being processed. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Government Pleader for Industries. The Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) Act, 1957 and the Rules made thereunder prescribe the procedure for processing of the applications for prospecting licence or mining lease. By any standard, three years is fairly a long time. In case the application is defective in any manner, the same ought to have been intimated to the petitioner. There cannot be any justiﬁcation to keep the application pending for years together. Hence, the writ petition is disposed of, directing respondents 2, 3 and 4 to take necessary steps on the application of the petitioner, within a period of two months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. There shall be no order as to costs. ___________________ L.NARASIMHA REDDY,J Dt:16.10.2008. kdl