New Delhi, September 11- The Supreme Court today said that it will constitute a bench to hear several petitions from mineral-rich states like Jharkhand regarding the recovery of royalty and outstanding taxes from mineral rights and mineral-rich land worth thousands of crores of rupees from the Center and mineral companies.
A nine-member bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud had ruled by a majority of 8:1 on July 25 that the legislative power to impose tax on mineral rights lies with the states and not with Parliament. The apex court had made it clear in its verdict on August 14 that the decision would have no prospective effect and allowed the states to recover royalty and outstanding taxes worth thousands of crores of rupees from the Center and mining companies on mining rights and mineral-rich land over a period of 12 years from April 2005.
On the appeal of senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for Jharkhand, the Chief Justice said, "I would like to assign the petitions to one of the judges of the (constitutional) bench for hearing."