NEW DELHI: A week ahead of the second deadline set by the Supreme Court to formulate a ‘scheme’ to regulate the Cauvery water release from Karnataka by May 3, the Centre on Friday sought two weeks more to submit the draft.
A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justices D Y Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra, before whom the plea was mentioned on Friday, said it will hear the matter only on May 3. The Centre then changed tack and decided to file a preliminary draft in a sealed cover by May 3.
Aimed at buying time with Karnataka Assembly elections at the back of its mind, the draft is expected to be more of a progress report that may not be actionable.
The ‘scheme’ is a mechanism that will implement the Supreme Court’s February 16 verdict on equitable sharing of the Cauvery. The verdict set a six-week deadline for the draft, which ended on March 29, but the Centre missed it and sought three months more citing the Karnataka elections and flagging queries on the nature of the scheme.
Since the Centre went at the very last minute to the court with its affidavit, there was a huge uproar in Tamil Nadu, forcing the Edappadi K Palaniswami government to file a contempt petition against the Centre.
While hearing the contempt plea, a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra on April 9 brushed aside fears that the scheme could vitiate the May 12 election atmosphere in Karnataka and set May 3 as the second deadline for the draft.
Yet, the Centre does not want to reveal the formulation it has in mind before the Karnataka polls where the BJP has high stakes.
“The reason behind the ministry seeking more time is the May 12 Karnataka elections. Being a sensitive matter, the ministry does not want to submit any scheme before elections are over,” said a senior water ministry official.
“After the April 9 order steps are being taken in right earnest in finalising the draft scheme... The discussions are also on way between the political executives,” the Centre said in its application on Friday.
“However, any action taken in haste may frustrate the very object, intent and purpose of the judgement passed by the court and therefore it is not only desirable but in larger interest of justice that this court may be pleased to grant extension by two weeks, by permitting to place draft scheme before this court on or after May 16,” it urged.
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