RANCHI, India, April 3 -- Jharkhand High Court issued the following order on March 4:
1. The issue raised in all these writ petitions is whether the District Mining Officer is empowered to pass an order under Section 21(5) of the Mines & Minerals (Development & Regulation) Act, 1957 and recover from the persons, who have been granted mining leases, price of the mineral or not.
2. Admittedly, the power under Section 21(5) to do so is vested in the State Government.
3. Under Section 26(2) of the said Act, the State Government is enabled by notification in the official gazette to delegate any power exercisable by it under the statute in relation to matters and subject to certain conditions, if any, as may be specified in the notification ...