Opposition protests against the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026, paralysed proceedings in the Odisha Legislative Assembly for the fourth consecutive day on Friday, 25 September 2026, as legislators from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress staged a massive uproar demanding a review of the central legislation. The disruptions reduced Question Hour to a mere four to five minutes before the House was adjourned.

How the Session Was Disrupted

Deputy Speaker Bhabani Shankar Bhoi was compelled to adjourn the House till 4 pm on Friday after continued pandemonium prevented any substantive business from proceeding. This marks the fourth straight day of the ongoing 7th Session of the 17th Odisha Legislative Assembly (OLA), which runs from 22 September to 3 October — a total of nine working days. The repeated disruptions have effectively stalled legislative work in the state capital, Bhubaneswar.

What Naveen Patnaik Said

Speaking to reporters outside the Assembly, Leader of Opposition and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik directed sharp criticism at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), pointing to what he described as a glaring contradiction. 'As far as the MMDR Amendment Act is concerned, why blame others, when 20 BJP Lok Sabha MPs from Odisha supported this bill in the Parliament. We in the BJD will take this up strongly with the state government to pause and see that it is revised thoroughly,' Patnaik said. He further warned that the Act, in its current form, would result in a significant loss of revenue for Odisha.

Congress Demands State-Level Action

Senior Congress leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had 'snatched away the rights of the state' through the central amendment. Bahinipati went further, issuing a direct challenge to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi: 'If Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi wants to run the House, we urge him to bring legislation in the Assembly stating that the MMDR Amendment Act passed by Parliament will not be implemented in Odisha.' Congress has said it will continue its protest against the Act.

BJD Takes Protest to the Streets

After the House was adjourned, BJD MLAs marched to AG Square in Bhubaneswar and distributed leaflets to the public explaining the implications of the MMDR Amendment Act. The street demonstration signals that the opposition intends to carry its campaign beyond the Assembly and build public awareness around what it describes as revenue losses to Odisha. This is notable given that the BJD, which governed Odisha for over two decades before losing power to the BJP, is seeking to reframe itself as the state's primary advocate against central overreach.

Background and What Is at Stake

The MMDR Amendment Act, 2026, passed in the Parliament recently, has drawn criticism from several mineral-rich states that argue it tilts the balance of revenue and regulatory authority in favour of the Centre. Odisha, one of India's largest producers of iron ore, manganese, and bauxite, has a particularly high stake in mineral royalty structures. Critics argue that changes to the MMDR framework could reduce state revenue accruals and dilute local control over mining operations. The state government has not yet publicly indicated whether it intends to challenge or comply with the amended provisions, even as the opposition presses for a formal legislative response.