IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) THURSDAY, THE SIXTH DAY OF NOVEMBER TWO THOUSAND AND EIGHT PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE L.NARASIMHA REDDY WRIT PETITION NO.24233 of 2008 Between: M/s. Great India Mining (P) Ltd., Represented by its Director, Sri Gunapati Deepak Reddy, H.No.8-2-703/6/A or 63, Road No.12, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad - 500 034. ...PETITIONER AND 1 The Government of India, rep. by its Secretary, Ministry of Mines, New Delhi. 2 The Government of Andhra Pradesh, rep. by its Secretary, Ministry of Mines & Geology, Industries and Commerce Department, Secretariat, Hyderabad. 3 The Director of Mines and Geology, BRKR Building, 8th floor, Tank Bund Road, Hyderabad. 4 The Assistant Director of Mines and Geology, Medak. ...RESPONDENTS Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the Aﬃdavit ﬁled herein the High Court will be pleased to issue a writ or order or direction, more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring the inaction of the respondents in considering the application dated 23.02.2007 for grant of mining lease in over an extent of Ac.70.00 in Sy.No.210 of Madaram Village, Jinnaram Mandal, Medak District for a period of 15 years as arbitrary, illegal, unjust and contrary to the Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) Act, 1957 and Mineral Concession Rules, 1960 and pass such other order or orders. Counsel for the Petitioner: MRPSHASHI KIRAN Counsel for the Respondents: MR.A.RAJASHEKAR REDDY (ASST SOLICITOR GEN) The Court made the following: THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE L.NARASIMHA REDDY WRIT PETITION NO.24233 of 2008 ORDER: The petitioner claims to have made an application dated 23.02.2007 to respondents 3 and 4 with a request to grant mining lease to quarry building stone and metal over an extent of Acs.70.00 in Survey No.210 of Madharam Village, Jinnaram Mandal of Medak District. His grievance is that no action has been taken thereof. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Government Pleader for Industries. Andhra Pradesh Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1966, prescribes the procedure to be followed in the matter of granting or renewing the lease to quarry minor minerals. More than one year had elapsed ever since the petitioner has submitted an explanation. In case the application is defective in any manner, necessary communication ought to have been given to the petitioner. There cannot be any basis for keeping the application pending for such a long time. Hence, the Writ Petition is disposed of directing respondents 3 and 4 to process the application and pass appropriate orders within a period of two months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. _____________________ (L.NARASIMHA REDDY, J) 6th November 2008 RRB