By the Court.—By way of this writ petition the petitioners have prayed for a writ, order or direction in the nature of certiorari quashing the impugned orders dated 31.8.2007 and 4.10.2007 passed by respondent No. 3, which is filed as Annexure-2 to the writ petition, by which the respondents have demanded royalty from the petitioners on the supply of Stones and similar relief in the nature of mandamus directing the respondents not to withhold payment of the petitioners in pursuance of the said letters.

2. We have heard Sri I.P. Singh, learned counsel for the petitioners and Smt. Sarita Singh, learned Standing Counsel appearing for respondents.

3. From the contents of the writ petition, it appears that the petitioners are registered Contractor in District Budaun. The Executive Engineer (Flood Division), Irrigation Department invited tenders for supply of the stone boulders for the construction of “Chandanpur Husainpur Tatbandh”. The tender of the petitioners were accepted and in pursuance of the order they supplied stone boulders to the Irrigation Department. They purchased stone boulders through agents and paid the price. This fact is not disputed that the petitioners being registered contractor was given work order by the respondent No. 3 and they supplied the materials. By the impugned orders/letters dated 31.8.2007 and 4.10.2007, the Project Manager U.P. Projects Corporations Limited, Bareilly has demanded the royalty at the rate of Rs. 30 per cubic meter on the supply of the stone boulders from the petitioners. The petitioners has urged that they have purchased the stone bolders from the mining lessee through their agents and have paid the price and had got the receipts. They are not liable to pay royalty because the royalty is to be paid by the licence holder of the mines.

4. A very substantial question of law has been raised by the petitioner in this writ petition regarding liability to pay royalty on the stones taken out from the mines. Section 9 of Mines and Mineral (Regulation and Development) Act, 1957 lays down provisions for payment of royalty. For ready reference, Section 9 is quoted below :

"Section 9 : Royalties in respect of mining lease—(1) The holder of a mining lease granted before the commencement of this Act shall, notwithstanding anything contained in the instrument of lease or in any law in force at such commencement, pay royalty in respect of (any mineral removed by or consumed by him or by his agent, manager, employee, contractor or sub-lease) from the leased area after such commencement, at the rate for the time being specified in the Second Schedule in respect of that mineral.

(2) The holder of a mining lease granted on or after commencement of this Act shall pay royalty in respect of (any mineral removed by or consumed by him or by his agent, manager, employee, contractor or sub-lessee) from the leased area the rate for the time being specified in the second schedule in respect of that mineral.

(2A) The holder of a mining lease, whether granted before or after the commencement of the Mines and Minerals (Regulations and Development) Amendment Act, 1972 shall not be liable to pay any royalty in respect of any coal consumed by a workman engaged in a colliery provided that such consumption by the workman does not exceed one third of a tonne per month).

(3) The Central Government may, by notification in official Gazette amend the Second Schedule so as to enhance or reduce the rate at which royalty shall be payable in respect of any mineral with effect from such date as may be specified in the notification :

Provided that the Central Government shall not enhance the rate of royalty in respect of any mineral more than once during any period of (three years)”.

5. Rule 21 of U.P. Minor Minerals (Concessions) Rules, 1963 also lays down provision for royalty which is quoted below :

"21. Royalty.—(1) The holder of a mining lease granted on or after the commencement of these rules shali pay royalty in respect of a