Panem Coal Mines Limited through Its Director Vishwanath Dutta v. the State of Jharkhand
Case brief
What is this about?
Panem Coal Mines Ltd v. State of Jharkhand; W.P.(C) No.3071 of 2020; Jharkhand High Court, Ranchi; Ananda Sen, J.; decision 07.05.2026. Certificate proceedings for coal royalty, FY 2014-15: Certificate Case No.1/2016-17 (certificate dated 07.09.2016, Rs.24,71,09,108/-; provisional assessment on imaginary grades 6, 7 & 8) and Certificate Case No.4/2015-2016 (Rs.20,25,29,750/-, certificate dated 11.06.2015); Section 9 objection dismissed by cryptic, unreasoned order dated 08.03.2017 of Certificate Officer, Mines, Santhal Parganas Circle, Dumka; order set aside; remanded for fresh reasoned order after hearing; reasoned ex-parte order permitted if petitioner defaults. Statute: Bihar and Orissa Public Demands Recovery Act, 1914, Section 9. Keywords: royalty; certificate proceeding; provisional assessment; double recovery/vexation; cryptic order; remand.
What did the court decide?
Writ petition allowed: the order dated 08.03.2017 of the Certificate Officer, Mines, Santhal Parganas Circle, Dumka, in Certificate Case No.1/2016-17 was set aside and the matter remanded to that officer for a fresh order after opportunity of hearing to all parties, with a caution that a reasoned ex-parte order may follow if the petitioner fails to cooperate.