The CBI probe into coal blocks allotment between 1993 and 2004 has zeroed in on the period around 2003 as it has found that the highest number of allotments were made in that year when the NDA gove

The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Centre on a public interest suit seeking to quash the allotment of 194 coal blocks to private companies in six states. The government will have to respond to six questions from the court. Solicitor General R F Nariman accepted the notice and the case would be heard after two months.

The court has asked the government to produce the guidelines and the process adopted for the allocation of blocks. It also wants to know if there are any in-built mechanisms to ensure the allocations do not lead to distribution of largesse unfairly to a few private firms.

A total of 10 private sector firms including Usha Martin, Monnet Ispat and Energy and Corporate Ispat have been asked to present their side of the story for the delay in developing coal blocks on the first day of the inter-ministerial group’s three-day review meeting, starting tomorrow.

“Ten coal block holders will make their presentations on the first day of the three-day IMG meeting starting tomorrow. The firms which will make presentation are Usha Martin, Monnet Ispat and Corporate Ispat and Alloys among others,” a source close to the development said. He said all the 10 coal block allocates had already been communicated to be present at the IMG meeting.