The court upheld that parties lacking legitimate claims or authority cannot disrupt lawful mining operations, affirming pre-existing rights granted under legislated provisions.

JUDGMENT :

SANJEEV PRAKASH SHARMA, CJ.

1. It would be apposite to note the checkered history relating to the aforesaid three cases, two of them, D.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 4195/2025 and D.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 15114/2016 were filed at the Principal Seat at Jodhpur before the Single Bench, while one writ petition bearing S.B. Civil Writ Petition No.14519/2022: Smt. Prem Devi Vs. State of Rajasthan and Ors. came to be decided at the Bench at Jaipur against which D.B. Civil Special Appeal No.59/2023 was filed and was pending at Bench at Jaipur. At the time when D.B. Civil Writ Petition No.4195/2025 was filed at Jodhpur, D.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 15114/2016 was already pending before the Principal Seat at Jodhpur.

2. To understand the controversy, it would be, therefore, necessary to note the prayers made in the three writ petitions which are as under:

In the S.B. Civil Writ Petition No.14519/2022: Smt. Prem Devi Vs. State of Rajasthan and Ors. (now before D.B. in appeal):

"It is, therefore, most humbly and respectfully prayed that your Lordships may very graciously be pleased to accept and allow this writ petition and call for the entire record of the case from the authorities concerned and further be pleased to;

a) By an appropriate writ order or direction in the nature thereof thereby, quash and set aside the impugned order dated 26.05.2015;

b) By an appropriate writ order or direction in the nature thereof thereby, quash and set aside the impugned order dated 02.02.2016;

c) By an appropriate writ order or direction in the nature thereof thereby, quash and aside the impugned order dated set 18.10.2021;

d) By an appropriate writ order or direction in the nature thereof thereby, quash and set aside the subsequent proceedings thereto with regard to lands in question situated in village Ramalyas, Tehsil Neem ka Thana, District Sikar:

e) By an appropriate writ order or direction in the nature thereof thereby, declare the Khatedari of the land admeasuring 7/1 admeasuring 2.72 hectare, khasra no.8/1 admeasuring 1.77 hectare, khasra no.304 admeasuring 3.65 hectare, 305/5 admeasuring 53.84 hectare, khasra no.306/1 admeasuring 22.57 hectare, khasra no.307 admeasuring 18.39 hectare, khasra no.308 admeasuring 27.86 hectare, khasra no.309 admeasuring 12.05 hectare khasra no.360 admeasuring 23.59 hectare, total 166.14 hectare situated in village Ramalyas, Tehsil Neem Ka Thana, District Sikar in absolute ownership, rights, title & possession in the name of initially seven Allottess and their legal heirs including the petitioner and further the land be entered in revenue record in their names as registered before passing of the impugned order dated 18.10.2021;

f) Any other appropriate order which this Hon'ble Court deems just and proper may kindly be passed in favour of the petitioners."

In S.B. Civil Writ Petition No.4195/2025: Geetanjali Steel Pvt. Ltd. Vs. The State of Rajasthan and ors. (now before the Division Bench.):

"It is, therefore, humbly prayed that this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to allow the writ petition and:-

(i) By an appropriate writ, order or direction, the respondents may kindly be directed to modify the impugned condition iv of the sanction order dated 04.10.2023 (Annex-1) and the condition No.5 of the allotment order dated 31.07.2024 (Annex-2) to the extent that the petitioner will establish the Iron ore beneficiation and steel plant within a period of 2 years from the date of allotment order or the date of disposal of the writ petition being SBCWP No.15114/2016 (Ojaswi Marbles & Granites Pvt