NEW DELHI - An Indian court-appointed panel said a government order to close down resources company, Vedanta Ltd's copper smelter after protests by environment activists turned violent was a case of administrative overreach, said lawyers involved in the case.

The committee set up by the National Green Tribunal said the closure of the plant in southern Tamil Nadu state was against the principals of natural justice, said Rakesh Sharma, the lawyer for the state government.

The court will decide on the panel's report on Dec. 7.

(Reporting by Sudarshan Varadhan and Mayank Bhardwaj; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani) ((mayank.bhardwaj@thomsonreuters.com; +91-11-4954 8030; Twitter: @MayankBhardwaj9; Reuters Messaging: mayank.bhardwaj.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))