Congress-ruled states to jointly challenge mining law in Supreme Court

Three Congress-governed states have decided to mount a coordinated legal challenge against the MMDR Act in the Supreme Court, signalling growing discontent among opposition-ruled provinces over the central legislation governing mineral extraction. Karnataka, Kerala and Telangana are expected to move the court within the next fortnight, according to party sources.

The move comes as the Congress party seeks to expand the legal challenge by bringing Jharkhand, another opposition-ruled state, into the coalition. The party has been engaging with state governments to build consensus on the constitutional validity of the mining law.

The MMDR Act, which governs the exploration and mining of mineral resources across India, has been a contentious issue for resource-rich states that argue the legislation constrains their autonomy in managing mineral wealth. The states plan to argue that certain provisions of the Act encroach upon their powers under the Constitution.

The joint filing by multiple states is seen as a strategic approach to strengthen the legal arguments and demonstrate wider concern about the impact of the central legislation on state interests. Senior Congress leaders have described the move as necessary to protect state sovereignty over mineral resources.