New Delhi: A public interest litigation has been filed before the Madras High Court questioning eight provisions of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025, which replaced the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
The petition is expected to be listed this week before the first Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G. Arul Murugan. The case has been filed by 71-year-old advocate T Sivagnanasambandan, a resident of T Nagar, Chennai, through his counsel on record, M L Ravi.
In his affidavit, the petitioner described the repealed MGNREGA as one of the largest social security programmes globally, noting that it had been extensively studied by various organisations which acknowledged its impact on vulnerable sections. He argued that the new legislation altered the financial structure that earlier limited the burden on states. Under MGNREGA, the Centre and States shared costs in a 90:10 ratio. Under the new Act, this ratio applies only to north eastern and Himalayan states, while other States and Union territories with legislatures must bear 40 per cent of the cost. Union territories without legislatures would continue to receive 100 per cent Central funding.
The petitioner also alleged that the new law diluted the constitutional role of village panchayats by removing their status as the principal implementing authority, a position earlier aligned with the 73rd Constitutional Amendment.
Referring to the COVID-19 period, he claimed that MGNREGA and legislations such as the National Food Security Act, 2013, helped avert hunger-related deaths. “The demolition of MGNREGA now will have a catastrophic impact on crores of people across rural India,” he stated.
The plea challenges Sections 3(1), 4(5), 5(1), 6(2), 22, 30, 34 and 37 of the 2025 Act, terming them unjust, anti-federal and unconstitutional for allegedly violating Articles 14, 16 and 21 of the Constitution. The petitioner has sought a declaration striking down these provisions as null and void.