India’s Supreme Court ruled on Monday that all coal-mining licenses distributed since 1993 are illegal, dealing a significant blow to operators and providing another setback to the image of the country’s administration. The three-judge bench led by Chief Justice R.M. Lodha said the allotments by past governments weren’t carried out in a transparent manner and no objective criteria were followed. Guidelines were also breached, it added. However, the court didn’t immediately cancel the 200 or so licenses given out since 1993 whose fate now hangs in the balance. “Further hearing is required to determine whether there is a need for canceling all the coal block allocations,” the bench said in the order. It will next hear the case on Sept. 1. The order follows […]