SC Says Centre In Sheer Contempt Of Its February Ruling On Cauvery

The Supreme Court of India today (8 May) said that the Centre was in ‘sheer contempt’ of its 16 February order which directed the Centre to implement a water sharing scheme between the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the union territory of Puducherry, reports The Times of India. The court told the Centre that once the judgement had been passed, the Centre has to implement it.

The apex court has ordered the secretaries of the Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation to personally be present in the court on 14 May at 10.30 am with the both the draft scheme and its supervising authority.

Karnataka had yesterday (7 May) filed an affidavit with the court stating that the water it had been ordered to release to the lower riparian state was more than what it was allotted during the dispute.

The court had in February directed the Central government to draft the water sharing scheme by 9 April. When the Centre failed to do so, it was asked to do so by 3 May, another deadline that wasn’t met.