Delhi High Court today dismissed the pleas of some private companies challenging the decision of the Ministry of Coal to club all sectors, barring power, under a single category for coal block auctions. <br/><br/>The decision comes after almost 18 months when it was reserved on 13th April, 2015 on the pleas of four companies – Utkal Coal Ltd, Monnet Ispat and Energy Ltd, Jayaswal Neco Industries Ltd and Bhushan Power and Steel Ltd. The companies had earlier contended that due to "wrong" classification, core sectors like iron and steel, which are to be protected as per 2014 coal ordinance, were losing out to aluminium companies in the auction.