Centre seeks review of SC's mineral royalty judgment
NEW DELHI: Faced with a huge financial burden caused by the ruling of a nine-judge bench of Supreme Court enabling states to collect royalty on extracted minerals and to levy tax on mineral-bearing land, Centre has sought a review, pointing out several "errors apparent in the judgment".
Interestingly, the Centre has roped in Madhya Pradesh as a co-petitioner to seek review of the July 25 judgment in an open court hearing and argued that the issue raised by it "pertains to the fundamental rights of the citizens of the country and raises larger issue of public interest and grave injustice would ensue if the application for oral hearing of the review petition is not allowed".
When senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for some mineral-rich states, sought early listing of pending cases relating to dues before a regular bench to follow the nine-judge verdict and give the intended financial relief, solicitor general Tushar Mehta and senior advocate A M Singhvi told a bench led by CJI D Y Chandrachud about filing of the review petitions by the Centre and a Tata group entity.
