( 1 ) AS similar questions of fact and law arise in these three writ petitions, they are considered and disposed of by this common order.

( 2 ) IN all these cases, the petitioners specifically seek a quarry lease in respect of different extents of lands in Survey Nos. 55/3a, 55/3c and 55/3 of R. L. Puram village, Chimakurthy Mandal, Prakasham District.

( 3 ) THE minerals in respect of which quarry lease is sought is Black Granite" of a category commercially known as Galaxy, which now has a lucrative market both abroad and in India. The individual facts in these writ petitions may be set out briefly as under : w. P. No. 20609 of 2000 :

( 4 ) THE petitioner seeks restoration of the mining lease granted to him by the lease deed dated 18-6-1990 for a period of 5 years from the date of restoration, in respect of Ac. 1. 98 cts in Sy. No. 55/3c of R. L. Puram village, Chimakurthy Mandal, Prakasham District.

( 5 ) ON 24-3-1990 the petitioner was granted permission by the 3rd respondent for removing boulder stones in the area of Ac. 1. 98 cts. Thereupon the petitioner applied for a mining lease in respect of the said area. The Director of Mines and Geology by an order dated