Police Personnel 'Authorised Officer' Under Mines And Minerals Act, Have Powers To Seize Vehicle, Compound Offences: Madras High Court

 

Police Personnel 'Authorised Officer' Under Mines And Minerals Act, Have Powers To Seize Vehicle, Compound Offences: Madras High Court

Case Title: S Kumar v The District Collector and others

Citation: 2023 LiveLaw (Mad) 187

The Madras High Court has ruled that there is no embargo in bringing police personnel under the ambit of “authorised officer” under Sections 21,22 and 23-A of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act 1957. The full bench was hearing a reference made with respect to queries relating the provisions of the Act and Rules framed thereunder and also various Government Orders issued based on the Act.

The bench of Justice GR Swaminathan, Justice M Dhandapani and Justice K Murali Shankar noted that two Government Order issued by the State in 2006 and 2009 respectively, granting the police personnel powers to carry out seizure of vehicles under the act is not illegal and such seizure is within the law.