On January 8, 2026, the Karnataka Cabinet officially passed a resolution to legally challenge the Union Government’s decision to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the new Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil described the new legislation as a “dark act” that infringes upon the constitutional Right to Work under Article 21 and undermines the federal structure by forcing states to bear 40% of the financial burden without prior consultation. The state government argues that the new law shifts rural employment from a demand-driven right to a centralized, budget-capped system that disempowers Gram Panchayats; consequently, Karnataka plans to move the Supreme Court and organize special Gram Sabhas to take the issue to the “people’s court.”
