JUDGMENT

RANGANATHAN, J:—The "Dramatis personae" All these matters are in the nature of offshoots of a basic controversy raised in W. P. No. 14116/84 which was "disposed of" by the orders of this Court dated 30-4-87 and 6-10-87. The parties are now seeking certain clarifications and directions in relation to the orders passed by this Court in the above writ petition. There have been several subsequent developments having an impact on the issue originally brought to this Court in the writ petition (W. P.) and, at present, the matter has become very complicated and involves the interests of a large number of parties. To give a cogent narration of the necessary facts, it is best to start with an enumeration of the various parties with whom we are concerned in the matters which are being disposed of by this judgment.

2. The writ petition as well as the connected matters arise out of applications for grant of rights for the mining of chrome ore or chromite in the State of Orissa. Chrome ore is one of the minerals specified in the First and Second Schedules to, and not a "minor mineral" within the meaning of S. 3(f) of, the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957. The ri