The Supreme Court on Tuesday requested a high-level committee headed by a former Supreme Court judge examining illegal mining in Andhra Pradesh to probe deeper and enlist the companies which encroached upon reserved forest land beyond their lease area and the loss incurred by the state on this count.
The order was passed in a petition filed by Andhra Pradesh government challenging a decision of the Andhra Pradesh high court of 2010 which quashed the state’s decision to suspend mining in six leases, which includes those belonging to the Reddy brothers of Bellary.
The committee headed by justice (retd) Sudhanshu Dhulia was constituted on September 19, 2025 by the top court with the task of demarcating boundaries of mining leases and reserved forest within three months. As this time had lapsed, the committee sought additional time of six months.
Granting the six-month extension , the bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and justice Joymalya Bagchi said, “The report will indicate the encroachment of reserve forest are and if so by whom; whether the boundaries of lease area overlap forest area and magnitude of illegal mining activities in the state.”
Further, the order said, “We request the committee to throw light on the estimated loss to the public exchequer due to illegal mining and other allied activities.”
{{/usCountry}}Further, the order said, “We request the committee to throw light on the estimated loss to the public exchequer due to illegal mining and other allied activities.”
{{/usCountry}}The AP government represented by senior advocate Siddharth Luthra that much will depend on what the committee has to say. He supported the committee’s prayer for extension of time which also has six other members - a member of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), three secretaries of Andhra Pradesh government representing the departments of Industries and Commerce (Mines), Environment, Forest, Science and Technology, and Department of Revenue, besides a nominee of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
Advocate Prashant Bhushan who appeared in a separate proceeding filed by Samaj Parivartan Samuday who brought the issue of illegal mining in Karnataka before the court said that the issue of illegal mining was found to be rampant along the Karnataka-AP border. He pointed out that in 2010, mining of iron ore was banned in three Karnataka districts of Bellary, Tumkur and Chitradurga in the interest of inter-generational equity and sustainable development. The investigation was entrusted to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which has since filed charge sheets before the concerned court in Andhra Pradesh.
The court was informed on Tuesday that one such case probed by CBI had ended up in conviction of mining lease holders. When the bench enquired if some penalty was imposed on them, no response was forthcoming.
In the past, the state boundaries abutting these leases were demarcated with the help of the Surveyor General of India and it was pursuant to this, the top court had in September 2025 accepted the AP government’s proposal to form a committee to demarcate the boundaries of individual leases and identify the extent of illegality.
The order of September 2025 said, “To find out the extent of illegal encroachment and other lapses, we appoint a committee headed by former judge of this court, justice Sudhanshu Dhulia.” The order allowed the committee to consult all stakeholders. The mining companies, mainly Obulapuram Mining Corporation Private Limited (OMPCL) and Ananthpur Mining Company belonging to the Reddy brothers, had resisted the formation of the committee.