Aparesh Kr. Singh, J. - (1.) Heard learned counsel for the parties.
(2.) The petitioner has prayed for a declaration that it is not liable to pay land rent in view of the letter no. 43024/6/99-PRIW dated 20.3.2002 annexed as Annexure-3 issued by the Ministry of Coal, Government of India and further for commanding upon the respondent nos. 3 and 4 to refrain from realization/collection of the land rent in respect of the lands held by the petitioner company for mining purposes having been acquired either on account of the vesting under the provisions of the Coal Bearing Areas (Acquisition and Development) Act, 1957, Coal Mines (Nationalization) Act, 1973 and Coking Coal Mines (Nationalization) Act, 1972 or under the provisions of Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The petitioner has further prayed for restraining the respondents from taking any coercive steps/measures for realization of the aforesaid amount by resorting to the Certificate Proceedings, annexed as Annexure-2 series.
(3.) From the submission of the learned counsel for the petitioner and after going through the averments made in the writ petition as well as in the supplementary affidavit, it appears that one of the grounds taken in the writ petition is that during the time of acquisition of the land in favour of the company, the Government had realized one time land rent and the lands have become rent free.;