The Supreme Court of India has agreed to constitute a bench to hear the Cauvery River water-sharing dispute. The order was passed on August 17, 2023, by a vacation bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Surya Kant.
The dispute is between the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry. The states have been locked in a decades-long battle over the sharing of water from the Cauvery River, which is a major source of irrigation and drinking water for millions of people in the region.
The Supreme Court had last heard the case in 2018, when it directed the Centre to notify the Cauvery Management Scheme. The scheme was designed to implement the Supreme Court's verdict on the water-sharing dispute.
However, the Centre has not yet notified the Cauvery Management Scheme, which has led to renewed tensions between the states. The Supreme Court's order to constitute a bench to hear the case is a positive development, and it is hoped that the bench will be able to resolve the dispute once and for all.
The bench is likely to be constituted in the coming weeks. The states have been asked to file their submissions before the bench by September 15, 2023.
The Cauvery River water-sharing dispute is a complex and sensitive issue. The Supreme Court will need to take all factors into account, including the needs of the states, the environment, and the law, in order to arrive at a fair and equitable solution.
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