IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) THURSDAY, THE TWENTY FIFTH DAY OF NOVEMBER TWO THOUSAND AND FOUR PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE D.S.R.VARMA WRIT PETITION NO : 6801 of 1995 Between: 1 The South India Mining Co. M.P.B.S. Muralidhar Reddy, S/o. B.Sangeevareddy, R/o. Bethamcherla. 2 B.Susheelamma, (prop)., W/o. Sanjeeva Reddy. R/o. Bethamcharla. 3 Ravi Kiran Industries, M.P.Thejeswara Gupta, S/o. M.Suryanarayana, R/o. Kothapalli Dhone. 4 Ravi Thejaya Industries- M.Krishna Kishore, S/o. Suryanarayana. R/o. U.Kothapalli, Dhone. 5 Bargavi Minerals, Prop. S.Sashi Devi. D/o. Sreenivasulu. 6 Hindusthan Minerals Enterprises Karimulla, S/o. Shaik Mahaboob. 7 Royal Minerals, Shaik Karimulla. S/o. Mahaboob. 8 Sri Sapthagiri Mosaic Mineral Industries, M.P.P.Narayan Reddy. S/o. Sunkireddy, R/o. Gosanipalli, Dhone. 9 Sri Sai Datha Enterprises, Rep. B.Subramanyam S/o. D.V.Subbaiah, R/o. Nandyal. 10 Sri Sapthagiri Minerals, Prop: P.Ananthamma, W/o. Narayana Reddy. 11 Welthy Minerals, Rep. Prop. G.Rajesh, S/o. G.Thammaiah. 12 Durga Pulvaraisorers, Raghurami reddy (Managing Partner) S/o. Obul Reddy, R/o. Jagadurthy, Dhone. 13 Sri Sreenivasa Minerals Industries, Rep. M.P.K.V.Nagabhushanam, S/o. K.V.Narayana Setty, R/o. U.Kothapalli, Dhone. 14 Murali Krishna Pulvaraisors, Rep. M.P.M.Chandra Shakera Reddy. S/o. Vasudeva Reddy. 15 Snain Mineral Industries, Rep.by its Prop: S.Akbar Basha. S/o. S.Hushain Saheb. 16 Kailash Minerals, Rep.by its Prop: Kullayamma, W/o. Suresh Chandra. 17 M.V.Raja Kumar, Rep.by its P.V.M.Rajkumar, S/o. V.Muniswami Setty. 18 mohan Mosaic House, Rep. V.Chandravathamma. W/o. V.M.Raj Kumar. 19 Venkateswara Pulvaraisors, Rep.by its B.C.Venkatachalam, S/o. Venkatappa. 20 Sri Venkateswara Mining Industries, Rep. B.C.Venkatachalam. S/o. Venkatappa. 21 Nagarjuna Mineral Trading Campanet, Rep. Nagarjuna Kumar. S/o. S.T.Rangaiah. 22 Surya Thejaya Agencies, Rep. T.Surya Narayana, S/o. Subba Rao. 23 Sri Sai Minerals, Rep.by its Prop: Y.Prasad, S/o. Satyanarayana. 24 Sri Treveni Mineral Industries, Rep.by its Prop: Subbarayudu. S/o. Peddanna. 25 Kiran Minerals, Rep.by its Prop: Prabhakar Gupta. S/o. Ramaiah Shetty, R/o. Vengalampalli Peapully, Dhone. 26 Pani Pulvaraisors, Rep. Seshapani. S/o. Pullaiah, Vengalampalli, Peapuly. 27 Anusha Mineral Enterprises, Rep. Prop: Prakash. S/o. T.Sanjeevappa Shetty. 28 Leela Minerals, Rep. by its M.V.S.Sastry. S/o. Rajgopal. 29 Makam Mineral Industries, Rep.by its Prop: Badhri Narayana. S/o. Sathyanarayana, R/o. J.Agadurthy, Dhone. 30 Chinthala Krishna minerals, Rep.by its Prop; T.Krishna Murthy. S/o. Chinthaiah Shetty. 31 Meenakshi Mineral Products, Rep. Prop: K.Sughunakar Rao. S/o. K.Sivaiah. 32 Padma Minerals Products, Rep. Prop: M.Rambabu. S/o. Keshavaiah. 33 Raja Rajeswari Minerals, Rep. Prop: M.Rambabu. S/o. Keshavaiah. 34 Harinath minerals, Rep. Prop: B.Harinath Reddy. S/o. S.B.H.Reddy. 35 M/s. B.H.Reddy, Rep. Prop: B.H.Reddy. S/o. Sanjeeva Reddy. 36 Rama Lakshmi Minerals, Rep. J.Manohar. 37 Lakshmirama Minerals Pulvarasiors, Rep. N.L.Madhu. S/o. N.L.Ramamurthy, Peapully, Dhone. 38 M/s. Y.Narayana Reddy, Rep. Prop: Y.Narayana Reddy. S/o. Lakshmi Reddy. 39 The Chandra Traders, Rep. Prop: Chandrasekhar Rao. S/o. Chilakala Pulla rao. 40 Sujatha minerals Industries, Rep. M.P.B.Somanna, S/o. Maddaiah. R/o. Chinnamalkapuram, Dhone. 41 Sujatha Pulvaraisors, Rep. B.Somanna. S/o. Maddaiah, R/o. Chinnamalkapuram, Dhone. 42 Sutha Mineral Trading Company, Rep. Prop: B.Thimmaiah, S/o. Maddaiah, Chinnamalkapuram, Dhone. 43 Pragathi Mineral Industries, Rep. M.P.B.Peddanna, S/o. Peddanna, R/o. Chinnamalkapuram, Dhone. 44 Selvam Mineral Trading, Rep. Selvaraj S/o. Nallaswami. 45 Preethy Minerals & Powers, Rep. N.Mani. S/o. Nallaswami. 46 Aruna Minerals, Rep.by its Y.Arunadevi. W/o. Y.Sivasankar Reddy. 47 Sri Vijayalakshmi Enterprises, Rep. Prop: Y.Siva Sankar Reddy. S/o. Thimma Reddy. 48 Ram Mohan Mosai Industries, Rep.by its Prop: R.Ram Mohan Reddy. S/o. Sanjeeva Reddy, R/o. Chinnamalkapuram, Dhone. 49 Sri Sanjeeva Lakshmi Minerals, Rep.by its R.Sanjeeva Reddy. S/o. Papi Reddy, R/o. Chinna Malkapuram, Dhone. 50 Srivani Mineral Enterprises, Rep. B.Narayanamma, W/o. B.H.Reddy. 51 Madhavi Minerals Industries, Rep. M.Satya Sena REddy. S/o. Lakshmi Reddy. 52 Vinayaka Enterprises, Rep.by its Prop: G.Nagaraju. S/o. Naganna. 53 Madhavi Agencies, Rep. Prop: N.Satyasena Reddy. S/o. Lakshmi Reddy. 54 Vasavi Minerals, Rep. S.Satya Raghavulu. S/o. S.Narayana Shetty, R/o. Dhone. 55 Bargavi Minerals, Rep. S.Seshi Devi. S/o. S.Sreenivasulu, R/o. Dhone, Kurnool. 56 Padmavathi Minerals, Rep.by its M.Lakshmamma, R/o. Dhone, Kurnool. ..... PETITIONERS AND 1 The Government of A.P., Rep., by its Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Secretariat Buildings, Hyderabad. 2 The Director of Mines and Geology, Govt. of A.P., Hyderabad. 3 The Deputy Director of Mines and Geology, Cuddapah. 4 The Asst. Director of Mines and Geology, Kurnool, Kurnool District. ..... RESPONDENTS Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the Affidavit filed herein the High Court may be pleased to issue a writ order or direction more particularly in the nature of a writ of mandamus to declaring the action of the respondents for insisting the royalty or seigniorage fee clearance certificate or royalty paid stamp on the way bills/transit forms while the petitioners are transporting the soap stone powder, lime stome powder white shell powder Burnt Lime, Mosaic clip Doramite powder and polished slabs either by rail or road as illegal and further declare that the action of the respondents and their subordinates in obstructing the transport of soap stone powder processed lime stone powder used for mosaic flooring and polished stones and black slabs either in side the state or outside the state is violative of Articles 19(1) & (g) and also article 301 of the Constitution of India. Counsel for the Petitioners: MR.M.SURYANARAYANA Counsel for the Respondents: GP FOR INDUSTRIES & COMMERCE The Court made the following: THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE D.S.R.VARMA W.P.NO.6801 OF 1995 ORAL ORDER: This Writ Petition is filed to declare the action of the respondents for insisting the royalty or seigniorage fee clearance certificate or royalty paid stamp on the way bills/transit forms while the petitioners are transporting the soap stone powder, lime stome powder white shell powder Burnt Lime, Mosaic clip Doramite powder and polished slabs either by rail or road as illegal and further declare that the action of the respondents and their subordinates in obstructing the transport of soap stone powder processed lime stone powder used for mosaic flooring and polished stones and black slabs either in side the state or outside the state is violative of Articles 19(1) & (g) and also article 301 of the Constitution of India. 2. Initially, this Court granted interim direction in W.P.M.P.No.8420 of 1995, dated 07-04-1995. The said interim direction was subsequently modified by order, dated 27-04-1995, in W.V.M.P.No.27-04-1995, to the following effect: “If the mine owners extract the mine and transport, they should satisfy the authorities that the mineral they are transporting was extracted from the mines which were leased out to them. If any person other than the mine owner is transporting any mineral, then he should submit proof of purchase of such mineral from the immediate predecessor in interest.” 3. In fact, in view of the said order, no further orders need be passed in this writ petition. 4. However, it is brought to the notice of this Court by the learned Government Pleader for Industries and Commerce that the petitioners can file an appeal also under Section-35 of the Andhra Pradesh Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1966, to the Director. 5. Therefore, having regard to the said fact, I see no merits in the writ petition and the same is liable to be dismissed. 6. In the result, the writ petition is dismissed with liberty to the petitioners to approach the appellate authority by way of an appeal, if so chooses, under Sectio-35 of the Andhra Pradesh Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1966. However, there shall be no order as to costs. -------------------------- D.S.R.VARMA, J 25TH NOVEMBER 2004 ISN/KRK ASSSISTANT REGISTRAR // TRUE COPY // SECTION OFFICER To: 1.The Secretary, Industries and Commerce, the Government of A.P., Secretariat Buildings, Hyderabad. 2.The Director of Mines and Geology, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad. 3.The Deputy Director of Mines and Geology, Cuddapah. 4.The Assistant Director of Mines and Geology, Kurnool, Kurnool District. 5.Two CCs to G.P. for Industries & Commerce, High Court Buildings, Hyderabad (OUT). 6.Two CD copies.