New Delhi, Oct. 21 -- The Supreme Court has asked the Orissa high court to reconsider its request for a dedicated bench to expedite the disposal of illegal mining cases, in which recovery of state dues worth thousands of crores of rupees remains stalled due to stay orders granted to mining companies. In an order passed earlier this month, a bench of justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu asked the high court chief justice to reconsider its December 10, 2025, request for a special bench to hear petitions filed by mining companies. The top court was informed that the high court was facing a severe manpower shortage, with only 15 judges, including the chief justice, against a sanctioned strength of 33, leaving 18 posts vacant. The court asked the high court to pass appropriate administrative orders on the matter and scheduled the next hearing for December 8. In a 2023 affidavit, the state assessed total compensation payable against 133 mining leases at Rs.18,526.47 crore. It recovered Rs.15,561.19 crore, including interest....