The Supreme Court on Wednesday deferred hearing of a Cauvery water-sharing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to August 17, after one of the judges on the Bench was recovering from viral fever. The matter concerns Tamil Nadu’s plea seeking implementation of its entitlement to Cauvery water amid renewed differences between the two States over releases.

The matter was initially listed before a Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana. However, Justice Mohana recused herself from the matter, following which the plea was heard by the reconstituted Bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta. The hearing was subsequently deferred to August 17, as Justice Vikram Nath was recovering from viral fever.

The dispute has its roots in the long-standing disagreement between the two riparian States over sharing of the Cauvery, particularly during periods of water scarcity. The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal’s award was modified by the Supreme Court in its February 16, 2018 judgment, which determined the respective shares of the basin States and led to the establishment of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) for implementation of the water-sharing arrangement.

The present dispute has again intensified amid competing demands over available water. The CWMA has recently directed Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs of Cauvery water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days, beginning August 12. Karnataka has opposed the quantum, citing its own water requirements and reservoir conditions.

Tamil Nadu has approached the Supreme Court alleging non-compliance with the stipulated water-sharing arrangement and seeking directions to Karnataka to release its allocated share. The latest proceedings therefore come against the backdrop of renewed disagreement over the quantity of water to be released during the current season.

The Court will now take up the matter on August 17.