|Kerala High Court
Mines Act, 1957 & Kerala Minor Mineral Rules | Seizure of Vehicle Invalid Unless Substantial Mineral Content Proven: Kerala HC
The Kerala High Court ruled that seizing a vehicle under mining laws is unlawful if only trace specs of ordinary earth are found - not enough to qualify as 'minerals' under the Kerala Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2015. This sets a critical boundary for enforcement agencies, protecting transporters from arbitrary seizures based on negligible, non-commercial soil residue.