ITEM NO.56 COURT NO.11 SECTION XIV

S U P R E M E C O U R T O F I N D I A RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

Petition for Special Leave to Appeal (C) No.18101/2022

(Arising out of impugned final judgment and order dated 07092022 in PIL No. 18/2019 passed by the High Court of Meghalaya at Shillong)

THE STATE OF MEGHALAYA Petitioner(s)

VERSUS

LAWYERSON WAR & ORS. Respondent(s)

(IA No.154251/2022EXEMPTION FROM FILING C/C OF THE IMPUGNED JUDGMENT and IA No.154256/2022INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT)

WITH

Diary No.32742/2022 (XIV)

(FOR ADMISSION and I.R. and IA No.155887/2022EXEMPTION FROM FILING C/C OF THE IMPUGNED JUDGMENT, IA No.155885/2022PERMISSION TO FILE SPECIAL LEAVE PETITION and IA No.155888/2022PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES)

Diary No.35039/2022 (XIV)

(FOR ADMISSION and I.R. and IA No.165869/2022EXEMPTION FROM FILING C/C OF THE IMPUGNED JUDGMENT and IA No.165865/2022PERMISSION TO FILE SPECIAL LEAVE PETITION)

Date : 11112022 These matters were called on for hearing today.

CORAM :

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURYA KANT HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE BELA M. TRIVEDI

For Petitioner(s)

Mr. Nidesh Gupta, Sr. Adv. Mr. Kashav Paul, Sr.Adv. Mr. Rishi Matoliya, AOR Mr. Kshitij Bikramia, Adv. Mr. Nikhil Kumar Singh, Adv. Mr. K.V. Vishwanathan, Sr. Adv. Mr. Vivek Singh, AOR Mr. Rahul Arya, Adv.

Mr. Abhishek, Gupta, Adv. Mr. Antariksh Singh, Adv. Mr. Eish Sharan, Adv. Mr. Amratay Sharan, Adv. Mr. Amit Kumar, AG Mr. Maninder Singh, Sr. Adv. Mr. Avijit Mani Tripathi, AOR Mr. Upendra Mishra, Adv. Mr. Shaurya Sahay, Adv. Mr. A.S. Pandey, Adv. For Respondent(s) Ms. Liz Mathew, AOR Ms. Shahrukh Alam, Adv. Ms. Vasudha Jain, Adv.

UPON hearing the counsel the Court made the following O R D E R

Heard learned Advocate General and Mr. Maninder Singh, learned Senior counsel appearing for the State of Meghalaya in Special Leave Petition (Civil) No.18101/2022, Mr. K.V. Vishwanathan, learned Senior Advocate appearing for the petitioners in Special Leave Petition (Civil) (Diary) No.32742/2022 and learned counsel appearing for Respondent No.1, who is on caveat, and gone through the material placed on record.

Application seeking impleadment of the Ministry of Mines, Government of India and Directorate General of Foreign Trade as party respondents need not be entertained as the main case is proposed to be disposed of.

Applications seeking permission to file the Special Leave Petition (Civil) (Diary) No.32742/2022 and Special Leave Petition (Civil) (Diary) No.35039/2022 are granted.

Exemption applications are allowed.

In our considered view, it is not necessary for us to go into the merits of the issues involved in these matters, as the main PIL No.18 of 2019, is still pending adjudication before the High Court of Meghalaya at Shillong.

Keeping this fact in view, we deem it appropriate to direct that the impugned Order dated 792022 passed by the High Court,

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shall remain in abeyance and be not given effect to, till the main case vis. PIL No.18 of 2019 is decided by the High Court.

Owing to the nature of controversy, we request the High Court to decide the PIL at the earliest and preferably within a period of three months, reckoned from the date of communication of a copy of this Order.

The Special Leave Petitions are disposed of on the aboveterms.

Pending applications, if any, filed in the matters shall also stand disposed of.

(VISHAL ANAND) (PREETHI T.C.) ASTT. REGISTRARcumPS COURT MASTER (NSH)