State Of Tamil Nadu & Anr vs P. Krishnamurthy & Ors

The Supreme Court upheld the validity of Rule 38A of the Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1959, which mandates that all existing leases for quarrying sand cease to be effective, vesting the right to exploit sand exclusively with the State Government. The Court emphasized that this rule was enacted in response to public interest concerns regarding ecological damage caused by unregulated sand quarrying. The judgment confirmed the State's authority to regulate mineral resources for environmental protection, dismissing the appeals against the High Court's decision.