As deadline on Cauvery Management Board approaching, Tamil Nadu getting ready to file contempt petition in Supreme Court

CHENNAI: With the six-week deadline set for the formation of the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) by the Supreme Court is fast approaching as only 48 hours are left, the government has decided to file a contempt petition in the Apex Court on March 31 if the Centre fails to honour the February 16 verdict by March 30. Top officials of the State government including PWD Secretary SK Prabhakar and Cauvery Technical Cell Chairman R Subramanian held detailed discussions with legal experts who had already appeared in the Cauvery row case.

Sources said the State government would wait till March 30 and if the Centre failed to form the CMB, a contempt petition would be filed on March 31 (Saturday). Besides, another petition seeking directions to Centre to form the CMB as mandated by the SC would also be filed.

Meanwhile, answering queries from mediapersons in Salem, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami expressed confidence that the Centre would form the CMB within the deadline set by the SC.  He also said the Centre was duty-bound to implement the SC verdict and the AIADMK MPs had been stalling the proceedings of Parliament for more than two weeks demanding formation of the CMB.   

In New Delhi, the farmers’ agitation, led by PR Pandian, president, All Farmers Associations’ Coordination Committee, entered its second day. In a related development, farmers laid a siege to the Tiruvarur Collectorate, demanding formation of the CMB immediately.  In yet another development, Chief Election Commissioner Om Prakash Rawat clarified that the model code of conduct for the Assembly elections in Karnataka would not hinder the formation of the CMB, thus clearing the way.  

Hoist black flag: PMK

In a statement here, PMK founder S Ramadoss said, “There are no signs for the formation of the CMB. It seems the Central government is almost ready to betray TN once again on this issue. The Congress govt refused to form the CMB in 2008 and 2013, keeping an eye on the Assembly elections in Karnataka and the present govt headed by PM Narendra Modi too had betrayed Tamil Nadu over this issue.”