M/S. INDIAN CHARGE CHROME LTD. vs UNION OF INDIA .

The Supreme Court addressed the grant of mining leases under the Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development) Act, 1957, specifically regarding the allocation of Chromite mining rights in Orissa. The Court emphasized the need for a fair assessment of competing applications, as highlighted in previous judgments such as Ferro Alloys Corpn. Ltd. vs Union of India [(1999) 4 SCC 149]. The Court held that the State's recommendation for granting a mining lease to Navbharat, while other applications were pending, was improper and lacked transparency, thus necessitating a reconsideration of the applications in light of established legal principles.