Tata Steel, which is planning to set up a steel plant in Chhattisgarh, has approached the Delhi High Court against an order of a Mines Tribunal, which did not entertain the firm's petition challenging a state government decision.
The Chhattisgarh government rejected Tata Steel's claim over a 4,800-hectare iron ore mining field at Rawghat in the state, leading to the row. The rejection was challenged by Tata Steel before the Mines Tribunal, which dismissed the company's claim on the grounds of delay in filing the petition.
Senior counsel and former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee, appearing for Tata Steel, submitted before the court that the company could not approach the mining tribunal within the specified period, as it had approached the Delhi High Court against the state government's order.
"There was not any deliberate delay from our side. We had filed condonation of delay application before the tribunal but it was rejected... How could you shut down a person like it," submitted Sorabjee.
Consenting to him, the single-member bench of Justice Ravindra Bhat said, "There was an overlapping of jurisdiction."
{{/usCountry}}Consenting to him, the single-member bench of Justice Ravindra Bhat said, "There was an overlapping of jurisdiction."
{{/usCountry}}Chhattisgarh was represented by its counsel Atul Jha.