Coal blocks allocation illegal: SC

New Delhi, Aug 25: The Supreme Court on Monday held that the coal blocks allocated from 1993 onwards were illegal, arbitrary, non-transparent and were devoid of any procedure.

The apex court bench comprising Chief Justice R.M. Lodha, Justice Madan B. Lokur, and Justice Kurian Joseph, however, stopped short of pronouncing instant cancellation of the coal blocks as it may have serious repercussions.

The court suggested to set up a committee headed by a retired apex court judge to examine what should be done for the re-allocation of these coal blocks.

The court made it clear that it was just a suggestion and it was open to a better option.

The next hearing will be held Sep 1 to consider the question of setting up a committee that will go into the allocation of coal blocks and how it should be done.

IANS