New Delhi’s Courtroom No. 8 buzzed with anticipation on Friday as the Supreme Court stepped in to calm a fiery commercial quarrel. A Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan decided that enough was enough in the bitter fight over 1.7 lakh metric tonnes of iron ore. In a move that surprised few but carried weight, the judges appointed former Chief Justice of India Dr. D.Y. Chandrachud as mediator, saying a negotiated peace was the only sensible way forward.
Background
The trouble traces back to an April 3, 2023 agreement for transporting and selling a huge iron ore stock. Soon after, Euro Pratik Ispat (India) Pvt. Ltd. and Geomin Industries Pvt. Ltd. began sparring over the deal’s execution. By July 2024, a Commercial Court tossed out the suit for not following Section 12A of the Commercial Courts Act, which normally requires mediation before filing a commercial case.
Read also: Supreme Court Pulls Up Advocate Over 1971 Sale Deed FIR, Protects 71-Year-Old Woman from Arrest
But the Madhya Pradesh High Court in Jabalpur revived the suit on August 11, 2025, noting that the companies were seeking urgent interim relief. It restrained Geomin from moving or selling the iron ore and told the lower court to hear the matter afresh. Unhappy with that, Euro Pratik knocked on the Supreme Court’s doors.
Court’s Observations
The hearing saw heavyweight lawyers on both sides-Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi for Euro Pratik and Gopal Subramanium for Geomin-lock horns. Yet the judges cut through the legal thicket. “This litigation is getting murkier and murkier by the day,” the Bench remarked, hinting that endless arguments would only waste time and money. They floated the idea of mediation, and both senior counsels readily nodded.
Read also: Supreme Court Reduces Laxman Jangde’s Sentence, Rules No Proof of Rape or Penetrative Assault
“The bench observed, ‘Considering the stakes involved and the nature of the dispute, mediation before a former judge of this Court would serve the ends of justice,’” noted one lawyer stepping out of court.
Decision
Accepting the joint consent, the Bench formally named Dr. Justice D.Y. Chandrachud as mediator. His fee will be fixed in consultation with the parties, and he is expected to submit a report at the earliest. Both companies must maintain the current status of the iron ore-no selling, no shifting-until mediation ends. Any civil or criminal cases between them are also put on hold.
The matter will return to the Supreme Court in eight weeks for further directions. With that clear order, the courtroom settled, leaving the next move to the negotiating table rather than the witness box.
Case Title: Euro Pratik Ispat (India) Pvt. Ltd. v. Geomin Industries Pvt. Ltd.
Date of Order: 19 September 2025
