BJD protests mining law, appeals to President Droupadi Murmu

Bhubaneswar: The Opposition BJD on Wednesday staged a demonstration against the MMDR Amendment Act near the Lok Bhavan in Bhubaneswar and sought President Droupadi Murmu’s intervention to safeguard Odisha’s financial interests and the country’s federal structure.

A party delegation later met Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati and submitted a memorandum addressed to the President. “Any legislative measure that substantially curtails the rights and financial interests of the State in relation to mines and mineral-bearing lands therefore has far-reaching consequences for Odisha and deserves careful constitutional and legal examination,” it said.

The party cited the July 25, 2024 judgment of a nine-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, which recognised the power of State governments to impose taxes and levies on mines and mineral-bearing lands and also dealt with recovery of such dues from April 1, 2005.

Based on the judgment, Odisha became entitled to receive more than Rs 1 lakh crore in arrears of mining-related taxes and levies, besides an estimated additional annual revenue of around Rs 12,000 crore, the BJD claimed.

The party said that the MMDR Amendment Act restricted State governments from imposing taxes, cesses or similar charges on mineral-bearing lands, and empowered the Centre to frame rules affecting such taxation.

It said that if the amendments permanently dilute States’ rights over mines and mineral-bearing lands and deprive Odisha of the arrears and future revenue recognised following the Supreme Court judgment, the issue cannot be treated as merely a matter of legislative policy.

Addressing a separate press conference, Congress Legislature Party leader Ram Chandra Kadam said his party was strongly opposed to the MMDR Amendment Act and would continue to protest against it. BJP MLA Babu Singh, however, rejected the allegations, accusing the Opposition of “misleading” people over the new mining laws.

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The Hans India