The Supreme Court today ordered maintenance of status quo on three coal blocks in Odisha and one in Chhattisgarh, which the Delhi High Court had directed to be excluded from the auction process. A bench comprising Justices M B Lokur, Kurian Joseph and A K Sikri passed the order while posting the matter for hearing in second week of September.<br/><br/>The apex court also issued notice and sought response of the Jindal Steel and Power Ltd, JSPL) and its promoter Naveen Jindal on an appeal by the government challenging the High Court's February 11 verdict, directing the technical committee to review its own decision to change the end-use of two coal blocks — Utkal B1 and B2 blocks in Odisha.<br/><br/>JSPL had contended in the High Court that change of end-use of these blocks from steel and iron to power has prevented them from bidding for them. The two blocks in Odisha and Gare Palma IV/6 block in Chhattisgarh were earlier allotted to JSPL but were cancelled along with 214 blocks by the apex court and later, when re-auction was announced, their end-use was changed from steel and cement to power.