DEJAPADA DAS AND ANR. vs UNION OF INDIA AND ORS.

The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of Section 3(3) of the Coal Mines (Nationalisation Amendment) Act, 1976, affirming that it imposes a mandatory prohibition on mining by unauthorized agencies, which is punishable by law. The Court ruled that workmen cannot claim a fundamental right to work in mines that are prohibited under this provision, emphasizing that the ban serves the public interest and is part of a national policy for resource conservation. The judgment clarified that the language of the statute is explicit and does not allow for exceptions, thereby dismissing the writ petitions filed by the workmen.