GUWAHATI, India, May 6 -- Gauhati High Court issued the following order on April 2:

1. Heard Mr. S. Hoque, learned counsel for the petitioner; Ms. N. Choudhury, learned Standing Counsel, Bodoland Territorial Council [BTC]; and Mr. R.R. Gogoi, learned Standing Counsel, Environment & Forest Department.

2. The instant writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India has been preferred seeking a direction in the nature of mandamus to the respondent authorities, more particularly, the Divisional Forest Office, Baksa Forest Division, Mushalpur [the respondent no. 4] to settle a Minor Mineral Concession area, 'Barnadi Sand Mahal No. 13' forthwith in favour of the petitioner in terms of a Notice Inviting Tender [NIT] dated 25.08.2025 by setting aside and quashing a decision conveyed by the Executive Member, Bodoland Territorial Council [BTC] vide an Office Letter dated 12.11.2025 addressed to the Additional Chief Conservator of Forest -cum- CHD, BTC [the respondent no. 3].

3. The facts which are not in dispute, can be exposited at first, in order to appreciate the issues involved in the writ petition. By a Notice Inviting Tender [NIT] dated 25.08.2025, the respondent no. 4 invited sealed tenders with validity period of 180 days for grant of Mineral Concession as per the provisions of the Assam Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2013 in certain specified Minor Mineral Concession areas [Mahals] within the Baksa Forest Division as per the schedule mentioned therein. One of the Mahals in which the Mineral Concession was to be granted by the NIT dated 25.08.2025 was 'Barnadi Sand Mahal No. 13' for the contract period : 2025-2032. It was informed to the bidders that the NIT contained details of the Minor Mineral Concession area [Mahal] along with the terms and conditions of grant and the same could be procured from the office of the respondent no. 4 during working hours on payment of a sum of Rs. 1,000/- by demand draft of the State Bank of India [SBI] payable in favour of the respondent no. 1.

*Rest of the document can be viewed at: (https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/ecourtindiaHC/cases/display_pdf.php?filename=A9S7c5LDIsB6RXaCf816x1eP3oD%2BqIKRXA0xGV13QKCm9Va6asP7xtBoU3PwT%2FJX&caseno=WP(C)/6863/2025&cCode=1&cino=GAHC010266172025&state_code=6&appFlag=)

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