Wed May 07 14:11:55 UTC 2025: ## Karnataka High Court Allows Mining Operations Until 2026

**Bengaluru, May 7, 2025** – The Karnataka High Court has ruled that Sandur Manganese and Iron Ores Ltd. (SMIORE) can continue mining operations in two Ballari district mines until December 2026. The court rejected the central government’s claim that the forest clearance (FC) had expired along with the mining lease in 2013, stating that the lease received a deemed extension and the FC’s 20-year validity period extends to December 2026.

The court’s decision clarifies that SMIORE does not need a new FC until 2026. While acknowledging the company’s right to seek an FC extension beyond 2026 at a later date, the court deemed considering that issue presently premature.

The ruling stems from a petition by SMIORE challenging a 2014 communication from the central government. The court’s decision hinged on the fact that the state government’s delayed action on the lease renewal resulted in a deemed extension under the law, extending the lease until December 31, 2033, with retrospective effect. The original mining lease, granted in 1954, was initially for 20 years. SMIORE acquired the lease in 1954 from a Belgian company.

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