On November 30, the Supreme Court's division bench allowed the National Mineral Development Corporation to resume diamond mining operations in Panna, noting that NMDC had received wildlife and environmental clearance. The bench of Justices BR Gavai and Vikram Nath granted the NMDC's application in the TN Godavarman Thirumalpad case, where the Court has been contemplating environmental issues since 1996.

"The perusal of the appliation reveals that the applicant has already received forest clearance. The proposal for granting wildlife clearance has been considered and the proposal of renewal of clearance was also considered favourably. The environment clearance under EIA has already been granted. After the order of this court, there has been an increase in tiger population which had come to zero. We are therefore inclined to allow the subject to all the conditions by the authorities as well as order of this court dated 13.8.2008 shall be strictly complied with".

Senior Advocate Chander Uday Singh, representing the NMDC, argued that Panna, which had lost all of its tigers in 2005, had re-established its tiger population. He also claimed that if the PSU is not permitted to reinstate diamond mining, criminals will loot the mines.