The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday ordered notice to the State government on a public interest litigation petition that challenged a G.O. dealing with the punishment for illegal mining/quarrying. The petitioner said the punishment was minimal and contrary to the existing rules.The court was hearing a public interest litigation petition filed by Abdul Kalam Science Farmers People Security Association of Madurai. The Association represented by its president G. Abel Moorthy said the G.O. was issued in January 2026 pursuant to a representation made by the stone quarry, crushers and lorry owners association.The petitioner said the G.O. was passed with an ill motive to protect the people who were carrying out the illegal mining activities and which could be categorised as: mining in the leasehold area beyond the permitted limit and mining in the non-leasehold area.Instead of punishing the offenders, the G.O. was acting as a one time regularisation scheme. The punishment for the offence as per the existing rules was imprisonment for five years or fine up to ₹5 lakh per hectare or both. However, as per the G.O. a minimal fine of ₹25/MT was levied, he said.The minimal fine was also not being collected in a proper manner. The offenders are given leverage to the effect that 20% of the imposed fine could be paid first and the remaining 80% could be paid in six equal instalments once every two months, he said.The G.O. was contrary to the law and was liable to be quashed, the petitioner said, adding that the G.O.s cannot override statutes.A Division Bench of Justices N. Sathish Kumar and M. Jothiraman ordered notice to the State government and posted the matter for hearing to June 24. Published - June 01, 2026 08:14 pm IST