P. N. BHAGWATI, D. A. DESAI, J.

( 1 ) THIS group of nineteen petitions raises an interesting question of construction of certain provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development) Act 1957 and the Mineral Concession Rules 1960 The facts giving rise to the petitions are identical save for difference in the area and location of the lands in respect of which mining lease is sought by the petitioners and it would therefore be sufficient if we take one of the petitions namely Special Civil Application No. 1045 of 1968 as a representative petition and state the facts of that petition.

( 2 ) THE petitioners in Special Civil Application No. 1045 of 1968 carry on business of mining and they are also dealers in minerals. Bauxite is an important mineral having its uses as raw material in several industries including manufacture of alumina. There are fairly large deposits of bauxite in three districts of the State of Gujarat namely Jamnagar Junagadh and Kutch. The Government of Gujarat by a notification dated 31 December 1963 notified for the information of the public that the lands in all the Talukas of Kutch District and Kalyanpur Taluka of Jamnagar District are reserved for ex

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