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Cauvery failure earns PM reprimand from SC
The failure of the Prime Minister’s Office to convene a meeting of the Cauvery River Authority, headed by the PM, angered the Supreme Court on Monday.
On being informed by Solicitor General RF Nariman that the PMO had written to the States seeking their convenience to attend a meeting, the bench of Justices DK Jain and Madan B Lokur reminded the PM that he headed the CRA and it was his convenience that mattered most.
On August 13, the Court had directed the Centre to make an urgent effort to hold a meeting as the Tamil Nadu Government had alleged Karnataka to have breached the distress sharing formula of excess water during the monsoon months. The TN Government had moved an application seeking an early meeting of CRA which had not met once in the past nine years. The CRA had last met on February 10, 2003.
Dealing with Nariman’s argument, the bench said, “He is the highest functionary of the Government… Is the Prime Minister to see his convenience or that of others?” Being the head of the Committee, the bench felt that all that was required to be done by PMO was to intimate the States of the date and convene a meeting of the concerned Chief Ministers.
Going through the hard-hitting affidavit filed by Karnataka Government, the bench wondered if the PMO was aware of the same. “It seems officers in PMO have not seen the affidavit filed by Karnataka. It uses serious words. We do not know if the PMO is aware of it.”
The bench posted the matter for Friday giving time for the PMO to convene the meeting and prepare its response to the application filed by Tamil Nadu Government for release of excess water on pro-rata basis.
The failure of the Prime Minister’s Office to convene a meeting of the Cauvery River Authority, headed by the PM, angered the Supreme Court on Monday.
On being informed by Solicitor General RF Nariman that the PMO had written to the States seeking their convenience to attend a meeting, the bench of Justices DK Jain and Madan B Lokur reminded the PM that he headed the CRA and it was his convenience that mattered most.
On August 13, the Court had directed the Centre to make an urgent effort to hold a meeting as the Tamil Nadu Government had alleged Karnataka to have breached the distress sharing formula of excess water during the monsoon months. The TN Government had moved an application seeking an early meeting of CRA which had not met once in the past nine years. The CRA had last met on February 10, 2003.
Dealing with Nariman’s argument, the bench said, “He is the highest functionary of the Government… Is the Prime Minister to see his convenience or that of others?” Being the head of the Committee, the bench felt that all that was required to be done by PMO was to intimate the States of the date and convene a meeting of the concerned Chief Ministers.
Going through the hard-hitting affidavit filed by Karnataka Government, the bench wondered if the PMO was aware of the same. “It seems officers in PMO have not seen the affidavit filed by Karnataka. It uses serious words. We do not know if the PMO is aware of it.”
The bench posted the matter for Friday giving time for the PMO to convene the meeting and prepare its response to the application filed by Tamil Nadu Government for release of excess water on pro-rata basis.
