UNTWALIA, J.

1. The petitioner in this case is a limited company incorporated under the Companies Act, having its registered office in Calcutta. It carries on business of mining and has various mining leases to exploit various minerals in the State of Bihar and other States. It holds a valid certificate of approval granted by the State of Bihar under Rules 4 and 4-A of the Mineral Concession Rules, 1960 (hereinafter called the Rules) made under Sec.13 of the Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development) Act, 1957 (hereinafter called the Act). The petitioners case is that in or about January 1968 the Government of Bihar issued a notification under Rules 58 and 59 of the Rules stating therein that the lands in villages Byanbil and Kanyaluka situated in the district of Singhbhum were available for grant of mining lease for phosphate with effect from 15th February, 1968. A copy of this notification is Annexure-1 to this writ application. The petitioner applied for grant of mining lease over the said villages on 15-2-1968. Copies of the applications are Annexures-2 and 2-A. The applications were not disposed of within the period of one year, as prescribed under Rule 24 of the