Judgement

VENKATARAMA AYYAR, J. : These appeals raise questions as to the validity of a prospecting license granted on 26-3-1915 in favour of Messrs Bird and Co., by the Court of Wards as representing the Ramgarh-Estate and of two deeds dated 23-11-1917 and 1-6-1937 executed by the Court of Wards modifying the terms of the license dated 26-3-1915.

2. The Ramgarh Raj is an ancient principality situate in Bihar. It has three coal fields, Bokaro Jharia Ramgarh and Karanpura. Of these, the Karanpura Coal-fields are the largest being of the extent of 550 sq. miles, of which about 415 sq. miles belonged to the estate.

On 26-11-1907 Raja Ramnarain Singh, the proprietor of the estate, granted in favour of Messrs. Anderson Wright & Co., a prospecting license in respect of the Bokaro Ramgarh coal-fields, referred to in these proceedings as the Bokaro license. He was also negotiating for similar license in respect of the Karanpura coal-fields (vide Ex. 155-b dated 1-12-1912), but before anything was concluded, he died on 26-1-1913 leaving him surviving his widow, Rikinath Kaur, and a minor son, Lakshminarain Singh. At the time of his death, the debts owing by the estate amounted to about Rs. 9 L