The Supreme Court had directed the Union Government to issue an appropriate notification in the Official Gazette and to constitute an inter-State water disputes tribunal within one month to adjudicate the dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over the Pennaiyar River.

Delivering the judgment, Justices Vikram Nath noted that there is no reason to refrain from directing the Centre to constitute a tribunal within a fixed timeline, and instead ordered that the plaint filed by the State of Tamil Nadu be returned for presentation and adjudication before the water disputes tribunal to be constituted by the Central Government.

Appearances

Plaintiff State- Sr Adv and AAG V Krishnamurthy, Sr Advs P Wilson, NR Elango & G Umapathy and AoR Misha Rohatgi

Defendant State- Sr Advs Shyam Divan and Mohan V Katarki, Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty and AoR Nishanth Patil

Union- ASG Aishwarya Bhati and AoR Dr N Visakamurthy