Patnaik urges Odisha CM Majhi to call for special Assembly meeting to overturn recent mining legislation.

Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha, was buzzing with discussions and debates as BJD chief Naveen Patnaik called upon Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to convene a special session of the Assembly. The purpose of this session was to pass a unanimous resolution requesting the repeal of the Mines and Minerals Amendment Act, 2026. This call came after Patnaik had already written to Majhi on the issue on August 14, expressing his concerns about the amendment and its potential impact on the state's constitutional rights over its mineral resources.

In his letter, Patnaik emphasized the importance of protecting the interests of Odisha and its people. He urged the Chief Minister to take a stand and bring a unanimous resolution against the amendment, stating that it was his moral responsibility as the Leader of the House to do so. He also assured Majhi of the BJD's support in matters concerning the state's rights and the future of its youth.

Patnaik's letter also highlighted the history of the state's fight to retain its constitutional right to impose taxes on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands. He mentioned how the then BJD government had fought this battle in the High Court and the Supreme Court, and how the BJP-led state government had subsequently defended Odisha's position before the Supreme Court. The BJD chief also pointed out that the recent MMDR Amendment Bill, 2026, had placed restrictions on state governments imposing taxes on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands.

This, according to Patnaik, was a direct challenge to the state's constitutional rights and could result in significant financial losses. He also criticized the 20 BJP MPs who had supported the amendment, stating that they had only fulfilled the wishes of mine owners. Patnaik highlighted the Supreme Court's nine-judge Constitution Bench's ruling in 2024, which had affirmed the states' right to impose taxes on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands.

This ruling had opened the way for Odisha to recover past dues and earn additional recurring revenue of nearly Rs 12,000 crore annually. He also mentioned that the state government had already held discussions on how these resources could be utilized for the betterment of the people. Patnaik's letter concluded with a powerful statement, urging Majhi to take action and call for a special session of the Assembly to pass a unanimous resolution seeking the repeal of the MMDR Amendment.

He emphasized that this was a historic moment for Odisha, and the people of the state would remember it for years to come. The letter was signed off with the mention of Orissa POST, Odisha's No.1 English Daily, as the source of the information.