Tata Steel Limited has secured extended interim protection from the Orissa High Court until January 29, 2026, in two major writ petitions challenging mining authority demands totaling ₹4,313.62 crores related to its Sukinda Chromite Block operations.

Litigation Overview

The steel major is contesting two separate demand letters from mining authorities alleging shortfalls in mineral dispatch from its Sukinda Chromite Block. Both cases involve alleged violations of Rule 12-A of the Minerals (Other than Atomic and Hydro Carbons Energy Minerals) Concession Rules, 2016, with authorities seeking appropriation of performance security.

First Writ Petition Details

The first dispute arose when Tata Steel received Demand Letter 1 on July 3, 2025, from the Office of Deputy Director of Mines, Jajpur. The demand of ₹1,902.73 crores related to revised assessment of shortfall in mineral dispatch for the 4th year under the Mine Development and Production Agreement covering July 23, 2023, through July 22, 2024.

The company filed Writ Petition (Civil) No. 22431 of 2025 on August 8, 2025, seeking quashing of the demand letter. The Orissa High Court granted interim protection on August 14, 2025, after tagging the petition with similar cases, restraining authorities from taking coercive action.

Second Writ Petition Proceedings

A second demand emerged on October 3, 2025, when the company received Demand Letter 2 for ₹2,410.90 crores. This demand concerned alleged shortfall in Chrome Ore dispatch for the 5th year under the agreement, covering July 23, 2024, through July 22, 2025.

Tata Steel responded by filing Writ Petition (Civil) No. 31035 of 2025 on October 29, 2025. The High Court granted interim protection on November 21, 2025, similarly restraining authorities from coercive action while tagging the case with related matters.

Current Status and Next Steps

Both writ petitions were heard by the Orissa High Court, which has extended interim protection for both matters until the next hearing scheduled for January 29, 2026. The court orders were made available on January 21, 2026, providing continued relief to the company from potential enforcement actions.

The company has made this disclosure in compliance with Regulations 30 and 51 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, ensuring transparency regarding material litigation matters that could impact its operations and financial position.

Tata Steel witnessed significant institutional trading activity with a major block trade executed on the National Stock Exchange (NSE). The transaction represents one of the notable bulk deals in the steel sector, highlighting continued investor interest in the company's shares.

Block Trade Details

The comprehensive details of the NSE block trade demonstrate the scale of institutional activity in Tata Steel's stock.

Market Significance

Block trades of this magnitude typically involve institutional investors, mutual funds, pension funds, or other large market participants. These transactions are executed outside the regular market hours or through special trading windows to minimize impact on the stock's regular price discovery process.

The execution price of ₹183.67 per share for approximately 31.60 lakh shares indicates substantial institutional participation in Tata Steel's equity. Such large-volume transactions often reflect portfolio rebalancing activities, strategic investments, or divestment decisions by major stakeholders.

Transaction Impact

The ₹58.04 crore transaction value underscores the liquidity and investor confidence in Tata Steel's stock. Block trades serve as an important mechanism for large investors to execute substantial transactions without causing significant price volatility in the regular trading sessions.

This institutional activity in Tata Steel shares reflects the ongoing interest of large investors in India's steel sector, with the company being one of the prominent players in the domestic steel industry.