Orissa High Court Bars Coercive Action Against Tata Steel in ₹2,410 Crore Chrome Ore Dispute

The Orissa High Court on Friday restrained authorities from taking any coercive action against Tata Steel in connection with a Rs 2,410 crore demand over alleged shortfall in dispatch of chrome ore from its Sukinda Chromite Block, granting the company interim protection until the next hearing on December 3.

In its November 21 order, the bench of the Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice Murahari Sri Raman said it saw no “justification in treating the petitioners on a different pedestal than that of the other petitioners."

The court therefore directed that it would “restrain the opposite parties-authorities from taking any coercive step against the petitioners till the next date of hearing.”

Tata Steel had approached the High Court challenging a demand notice issued on October 3 by the Deputy Director of Mines, Jajpur, seeking recovery of Rs 2,410 crore towards alleged shortfall in dispatch for the fifth year of the Mine Development and Production Agreement (July 23, 2024–July 22, 2025) and consequent appropriation of performance security. The demand cited alleged violations of the Minerals (Other than Atomic & Hydrocarbon Energy Minerals) Concession Rules, 2016.

The company said it apprehended coercive steps, including the possible rejection of its trading licence. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued that the issues raised were “identical to the other matters” before the court.

The petition has now been tagged with other similar writ petitions listed for December 3.

Case Title: Tata Steel Ltd., Mumbai vs State of Odisha and Os

Case Number: W.P.(C) No.31035 of 2025

For Petitioners: Senior Advocate Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi with Advocates A Behera, T Pattnaik

For Respondents: Represented by  Additional Government Advocate Debasis Tripathy with Deputy Solicitor General of India P K Parhi along with Advocate S S Kashyap

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