Karnataka Government to Challenge New Employment Law in Supreme Court

The Karnataka government has decided to approach the Supreme Court to reinstate the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). This decision comes in light of concerns regarding rural livelihoods following the implementation of the VB-G-RAM-G Act, 2025, and the absence of a functional replacement framework. According to the state government, although MGNREGA has been replaced by the new act, it has not yet been notified for implementation. The central government has neither established rules nor issued guidelines, nor set up any alternative mechanisms, leading to a policy vacuum that is adversely affecting rural workers who rely on guaranteed employment.

A statement from the state government emphasized its commitment to safeguarding rural livelihoods and ensuring that workers dependent on employment guarantees are not adversely affected. The decision to initiate legal proceedings was made following a Karnataka Cabinet meeting on May 7, where a resolution to challenge the VB-G-RAM-G Act was adopted. After the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Law Minister H.K. Patil confirmed that the government would approach the Supreme Court, stating that the Cabinet has resolved to fight this legal battle. Patil mentioned, 'We will challenge the VB-G-RAM-G Act in court.' He confirmed that the state government is determined to contest the act.

This decision comes amid uncertainty regarding the implementation of the new law. While Parliament has passed the VB-G-RAM-G Act, 2025 to replace MGNREGA, the central government has yet to implement it. No rules have been notified, no guidelines issued to states, and no transitional arrangements made for the employment guarantee scheme that supports millions of rural families. Karnataka argues that this delay has created administrative and financial gaps, disrupting wage-based employment for rural workers who have traditionally relied on MGNREGA for their livelihoods. The state is expected to file a petition in the Supreme Court in the coming days. However, the government has not yet disclosed the specific legal grounds on which it will challenge the act or the provisions it intends to contest before the Supreme Court.