Karnataka polls not to affect Cauvery board constitution

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The announcement of the Karnataka elections doesn't bar the central government from implementing the Supreme Court judgement on the issue of constitution of the Cauvery River Management Board for which the deadline set by the apex court expires in a couple of days.

"Whatever the direction of the court and compliance thereof, the commission and the model code of conduct don't come in the way," Chief Election Commissioner O.P. Rawat told media.

He was replying to a question on whether the Centre can constitute the board now that the election has been announced and the model of conduct comes into force with immediate effect.

Meanwhile, senior Tamil Nadu government officials on Tuesday held discussions with a senior Supreme Court counsel over the course to be adopted by the state in the matter of the constitution of the Cauvery River Water Management Board.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's Principal Secretary and PWD Secretary met senior counsel Shekhar Naphde, who had appeared in the Supreme Court in the matter, here and discussed the options before the state.

Sources said it was agreed that the state would wait for the Centre to take the steps for the formation of the Board till the deadline set by the Supreme Court for the purpose and then consider filing a contempt petition against the Centre, in case it failed to do so.

Already reports have it that the Centre was considering constituting a 9-member panel of officials for supervising the waters flow in the Cauvery river to ensure allocation of waters according to the Supreme Court judgement.

--IANS

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