MANOHAR LAL SHARMA vs THE PRINCIPLE SECRETARY & OTHERS

The Supreme Court held that the allocation of coal blocks by the Central Government from 1993 to 2010 violated the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 and the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1973, specifically breaching Section 3(3)(a)(iii) of the CMN Act. The Court found the allocation process to be arbitrary, lacking transparency, and tainted with mala fides, thus ordering a court-monitored investigation by the CBI. The judgment emphasized the need for adherence to legal procedures in the allocation of natural resources, reinforcing the principle of trusteeship over such resources.