SC: 'scheme' does not mean only Cauvery management board

The Supreme Court on Monday assured Tamil Nadu that it will get its due share of Cauvery river water.

The apex court agreed to hear a plea by the state for contempt action against the Centre for "wilful disobedience" of the February 16 court judgement to put in place a scheme within six weeks to ensure allocation of water among the states.

A three-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice Dipak Misra put the application filed by Tamil Nadu for consideration on April 9 on an urgent hearing plea made by advocate G Umapathy on behalf of Tamil Nadu.

The counsel contended that the Centre did not act on "framing of the scheme" as per the decision of the apex court.

He pointed out that the Cauvery Management Board and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee could not be constituted by March 30, the time frame fixed by the court.

On this, the CJI, presiding over the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, orally observed that the term "scheme" used in the judgement does not mean Cauvery Management Board only.

This means that whatever be the nomenclature of the implementing authority, the judgement giving every interested state its due share of the river water has to be complied with, he said. On Saturday, the Centre had filed a plea seeking three more months to implement the judgement on the Cauvery issue.