- (1.) Heard Mr. S.G. Hasnain, learned Senior Advocate with Mr. Madan Lal Srivastava, Advocate for the petitioner and Mr. Pradeep Kumar Tripathi, learned Standing Counsel for the respondents-State.
(2.) This petition has been preferred seeking a direction upon the second respondent to permit the petitioner to offer a higher bid after the finalisation of the e-tendering process in light of the provisions of Rule 23 (2) (b) and (c) of the U.P. Minor Minerals (Concession) Rules, 1963, 1963 Rules. A further direction is sought for the issuance of a certificate by the District Magistrate attesting that the petitioner is entitled to the benefits contemplated under the Rule aforementioned. The prayers themselves are addressed in the following backdrop.
(3.) According to the petitioner, he was the holder of a mining lease granted by the second respondent for the excavation of minor minerals. The lease deed, a copy of which has been placed on the record, was to run from 23 December 2006 to 22 December 2016. It is the admitted position that the lease was never extended after December 2016. Sri Hasnain further submits that the petitioner carried on no mining operations after 22 December 2016.;