HC strikes down Kerala Vesting of Minerals Act as unconstitutional

The Kerala High Court has declared the Kerala Minerals (Vesting of Rights) Act, 2021, as unconstitutional, finding that the State legislature was unqualified to enact the legislation. The court held that the Act violated Article 300A of the Constitution, which protects a person against deprivation of property. The court also directed a refund of the royalty paid by the petitioners aggrieved by the Act.