CHARACTERISING its verdict as futuristic, corrective as well as compensatory, the Supreme Court on Wednesday quashed allocations of 214 out of 218 coal blocks that it had declared as illegal last month.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India R M Lodha spared four blocks, two of which were allocations made to the Ultra Mega Power Projects (UMPPs) and two other allocations to the Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).
The court turned down a suggestion by the government to consider saving as many as 46 blocks, either in production or ready to be made operational, after noting that since ?these allocations are also illegal and arbitrary, they are also liable to be cancelled?. The four blocks saved are out of these 46. The court took on record the Centre?s alternate stand that it was prepared to face the consequences of the cancellation of all coal blocks and was desirous of moving forward.
The bench said the relief to be granted in a case always looks to the future; it is generally corrective and in cases, compensatory. ?The present case takes within its fold all three elements. Our judgment highlighted the illegality and arbitrariness in the allotment of coal blocks and these ?consequence proceedings? are intended to correct the wrong done by the Union of India.
?These proceedings look to the future by highlighting the wrong. It is expected that the government will not deal with the natural resources that belong to the country as if they belong to a few individuals, who can fritter them away at their sweet will. These proceedings may also compensate the exchequer for the loss caused to it,? it said.
Read more: Supreme Court scraps 214 coal blocks
