SC names commissioner on border row

The Supreme Court on Friday appointed former Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Manmohan Sarin, as court commissioner for Karnataka and Maharashtra border dispute issue.

A bench headed by Chief Justice R M Lodha has given two months’ time to the Commissioner to submit a report on the issue. The Court also ordered the Government of India, Karnataka and Maharashtra to file their affidavits regarding their claims and opinions, mentioning witnesses on the dispute, within two months. The commissioner will study all documents, cross examine the witnesses and submit a report to the court. The apex court will take up the matter for hearing and pronounce the verdict.

Meanwhile, during the hearing, Karnataka argued that the power of demarcating of border between two states lies with Parliament. However, the bench said though the power to decide the boundary between states lies with Parliament, the Constitution of India permits the Supreme Court to hear the matter.