No impediment in PM deciding on review petiton before CRA: SC

A bench of justices D K Jain and Madan B Lokur ticked off Karnataka saying that various agitations on the issue would not serve the purpose as sometimes it may be counter- productive.

"All these agitations don't serve any purpose. Sometimes they may spoil a good case," the bench told Karnataka in an oblique reference to the on-going agitations in the state over release of water to Tamil Nadu.

The bench was dealing with an application moved by Karnataka seeking stay on the apex court's September 28 order directing release of 9,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

Senior counsel Fali Nariman, appearing for Karnataka, sought deferment of the hearing of the application till October 28.

He expressed apprehension that the CRA may be reluctant to take any decision on the review petition filed by Karnataka before it in view of the injunction passed by the apex court on September 28.

Accordingly the bench, in its order, said, "We clarify that our September 28, 2012 order shall not in any way be an impediment in the chairperson (Prime Minister) taking a decision on the review petition before it (CRA)."

Nariman told the bench, "We will not be able to release anything more. It is physically impossible to release. There is already a surplus of 13,000 cusecs." However, he did not elaborate. (MORE)