Stone Crushers Act: Karnataka HC asks state to frame rules

The High Court on Friday directed the state government to frame rules about annual regulation fees to stone crushing licences.

The government had amended the Karnataka Regulation of Stone Crusher Act by which certain crusher licenses entitled to deemed extension, subject to payment of an annual regulation fee.

A division bench, headed by Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka, observed that the government is losing revenue by not framing the rules. As per section 5 (2) of the Karnataka Regulation of Stone Crushers Act, with effect from 2020, certain crusher licences are entitled to deemed extension subject to payment of annual regulation fee as may be prescribed.

“Though nearly a period of 15 months has expired, from which this section was brought in the statute books, even as of today the state government has not framed any rules for determining the annual regulation fee,” the court said.

The bench directed the government's advocate to forward the copy of the order to the secretary in charge of the department concerned. The further hearing of the matter was posted to July 2.