Summary: This blog examines the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, passed by both Houses of the Parliament on August 13, 2026. The bill has two principal objectives: (i) extending Union regulatory control to mineral-bearing lands and (ii) introducing a new provision that prohibits Indian states from levying any kind of imposition on mineral rights or mineral-bearing lands except under Central Government-prescribed conditions. The provision also gives retrospective relief as it invalidates unpaid and unrecovered dues and bars the refund of amounts already collected. The blog identifies key analytical concerns and analyses the bill’s constitutional sustainability, concluding that its intended outcome is riddled with procedural and constitutional challenges.