The Karnataka High Court on Monday refused a request by the Union Government to change the agency tasked by the court to demarcate the border in Bellary between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
MSPL, a mining firm, had filed a contempt petition against the officials of the State and Central Governments for failing to comply with an earlier High Court order directing the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) to carry out work to demarcate the border between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
A Division Bench headed by the Chief Justice, P.D. Dinakaran, had asked the IBM to carry out the boundary work. When the work on demarcating the border was not taken up, MSPL filed a contempt petition.
The Centre, represented by Additional Solicitor-General Ravindran, urged the Bench to modify its earlier order and permit the Survey of India to carry out demarcation of the boundaries. He said the IBM has no staff or expertise to carry out the work.