APHC010045312026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI [3504]

(Special Original Jurisdiction)

THURSDAY,THE TWENTY SIXTH DAY OF FEBRUARY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE MAHESWARA RAO KUNCHEAM WRIT PETITION NO: 2600/2026 Between:

1. M /S. SMT EXPORT, REP. BY ITS MANAGING PARTNER. VENKATA SHIVARAM REDDY NARALA AGED 50 YEARS, OCC. BUSINESS, D.NO.15-17-308A, PLOT NO.504, K.V.R.S RESIDENCY, BYPASS ROAD, NEAR RAJPATH FUNCTION HALL, KHAMMAM, TELANGANA -507002.

...PETITIONER AND

1. T HE STATE OF AP, REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, MINES AND GEOLOGY DEPARTMENT, VELAGAPUDI, AMARAVATI, ANDHRA PRADESH. 522238

2. T HE DIRECTOR OF MINES AND GEOLOGY, IBRAHIMPATNAM, VIJAYAWADA, ANDHRA PRADESH 520001

3. T HE DIVISIONAL MINES AND GEOLOGY OFFICER, TEKKALI, SRIKAKULAM DISTRICT. 532201

4. M /S MOUNTAIN VIEW GRANITES, SY.NO.100, KONGAVANIPALEM VILLAGE, BHOGAPURAM MANDAL VIZIANAGARAM DISTRICT AP 535216, REP. BY ITS MG. PARTNER SRI MANNAVA ANIL KUMAR. R4 IS IMPLEADED AS PER COURTS ORDER DT.17.02.2026 IN I.A.NO.2 OF 2026 ...RESPONDENT(S):

Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed therewith, the High Court may be pleased topleased to issue an order, writ or direction more particularly in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring the action of the 2nd and 3rd respondents in not granting the quarry lease on the application of the petitioner dated 26-07-2021 to Building Stone, Colour Granite, Morrum/Gravel, Ordinary Earth, Road Metal, Bllast, Rough Stone/Boulders to an extent of 4.900 Hectares in Sy.No.1 of Addukonda Village, Tekkali Mandal, Srikakulam District under A.P. Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1966 even after all formalities are completed as mandated under rules to grant quarry lease as being arbitrary, illegal, and unconstitutional and contrary to Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 and the rules made there under apart from being of violation of Article 19 and 300-A of Constitutionof India.

Counsel for the Petitioner:

1. K NAVEEN KUMAR Counsel for the Respondent(S):

1. G RAJA BABU

2. GP FOR MINES AND GEOLOGY The court made the following ORDER The writ petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, seeking the following main prayer:

“…..declaring the action of the 2^nd and 3^rd respondents in not granting the quarry lease on the application of the petitioner dated 26-07-2021 to Building Stone, Colour Granite, Morrum/Gravel, Ordinary Earth, Road Metal, Bllast, Rough Stone/Boulders to an extent of 4.900 Hectares in Sy.No.1 of Addukonda Village, Tekkali Mandal, Srikakulam District under A.P. Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1966 even after all formalities are completed as mandated under rules to grant quarry lease as being arbitrary, illegal, and unconstitutional and contrary to Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 and the rules made there under apart from being of violation of Article 19 and

300-A of Constitution of India…..”

2. The substratum of the writ petition is that the petitioner’s Form-P application dated 26.07.2021 for grant of quarry lease for quarrying building stone, colour granite, morrum/gravel, ordinary earth, road metal, blast, rough stone/boulders in an extent of 4.900 hectares in Sy.No.1 of Addukonda Village, Tekkali Mandal, Srikakulam District., made before the 2^nd respondent is pending and the respondent authorities are not acting upon the same.

3. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Mines & Geology and Sri G. Raja Babu, learned counsel for the 4^th respondent.

4. Learned counsel for the petitioner, while reiterating the contentions made in the writ affidavit, submits that the petitioner's application made in terms of Rule 12 of A.P. Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1966, for grant of quarry lease was not redressed by the respondent authorities till now though the respondent authorities statutory bound to dispose of them und