- Nearly 2K Zambian villagers have the right to sue miner Vedanta (VEDL -0.6%) in U.K. courts, the U.K. Supreme Court has ruled in a landmark judgement that could lead other groups in developing countries to seek similar redress in the U.K. against large multinational corporations.
- Arguing that the case should be heard in Zambia, VEDL had appealed a lower court ruling that a case in which villagers alleged their land was polluted by the company could be heard in the U.K., but the Supreme Court disagreed, saying that the case must proceed in the U.K. due to "the problem of access to justice" in Zambia.
- VEDL says the Supreme Court judgment is procedural, relating only to the jurisdiction of the English courts to hear the claims.