“On perusal of the contract annexed to this writ petition entered into by the petitioner and the Divisional Forest Officer, Hailakandi nowhere any clause/ clauses are stipulated thereby providing for extension of the extract period. Rather under part 4 of the contract it is the manner for suspension or termination of the contract and the determination, penalty etc. which are stipulated. Under such circumstances, the prayer for extension of the contract period must flow from the statutory provision. In the present case in hand, the Rules, 2013 has its statutory force inasmuch as the said Rules are framed on the basis of the power conferred by sub-section (1) of Section 15 and Section 23 C of Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 and on perusal of the various Rules under Chapter 4 there is no provision for extension of the contract period rather there is a provision for the renewal of the mining contract and for that purpose the petitioner/ contractor is required to seek for renewal prior to 18 months from the date of expiry of the contract. Whether the term “renewal” and “extension” of a lease have the same meaning. Normally “renewal” amounts to renewal of the lease after the term of its subsistence is over and the lessor has the right to introduce new terms of lease and the lessee must be agreeable to it. On the other hand “extension” of lease amounts to extension of the period of subsistence but with same terms and conditions. So extension of the lease period must be carried out during the subsistence of the lease and renewal must be carried out after the lease period comes to an end by efflux of time. Rule 19(1) of the Rules 2013 stipulates renewal only but not extension. As per Black’s Law Dictionary 9th Edition the term ‘renewal’ means re-creation of a legal relationship or the replacement of an old contract with a new contract as opposed to mere extension of previous contract. So in my considered opinion there is no provision of extension of the contract period under Rules 2013. For renewal, Rule 19(1) stipulates a condition that the same must be sought for prior to 18 months from the date of completion of the contract period. Accordingly, the Rules 2013 are silent in respect of extension of period of contract and
