Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana likely to challenge mines law amendments in SC

Congress-ruled Karnataka, Kerala and Telangana are likely to challenge in the Supreme Court the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026, passed by Parliament last week, alleging that it undermines the rights of states, sources said on Thursday, 20 August.

The Congress is also in talks with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) to get the Jharkhand government on board the proposed petition, they said.

Congress sources said the amendments to the Act could soon be challenged in the top court by the three states ruled by the party.

Parliament last Thursday passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, which seeks to restrict states’ powers to levy taxes on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands.

The Lok Sabha passed the Bill last Wednesday, while the Rajya Sabha cleared it the following day, completing the parliamentary approval process. The Bill subsequently became law after receiving the President’s assent.

Replying to the debate in the Rajya Sabha, mines minister G. Kishan Reddy had said the legislation did not seek to interfere with the autonomy or revenue rights of states, but aimed to ensure uniform mineral rates across the country.

Reddy had said the Centre was seeking to regulate major minerals such as coal, limestone, iron ore, copper and manganese, while states would continue to have powers over 49 minor minerals.

Karnataka deputy chief minister G. Parameshwara on Tuesday urged the Centre to withdraw the amendment Act, objecting to provisions ‘restricting’ the constitutional powers of states. He wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union minister for coal and mines Reddy on the issue.

Kerala chief minister V.D. Satheesan had said the amendments to the MMDR Act were against federal principles as they sought to take away the rights and ownership of states over their lands and would therefore be strongly opposed.

Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren had also urged PM Modi to reconsider the amendments, saying restrictions on state levies could significantly reduce the state’s fiscal space and affect its ability to address the social and environmental costs of mining.

With PTI inputs