Krishna water dispute: SC asked to set up a bench to hear matter

New Delhi, Feb 18:  The Karnataka government on Friday asked the Supreme Court to set up a bench to hear a matter connected with the distribution of Krishna water among it, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra.

Senior advocates Shyam Divan and C.S. Vaidyanathan mentioned the plea before a bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana on behalf of the Karnataka and Telangana governments, respectively.

Divan submitted before the bench, also comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna and Hima Kohli, that after Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Bopanna, recused from hearing the matter, a fresh bench has to be set up.

After hearing brief submissions in the matter, the bench said it will consider the plea and asked the parties whether there is a possibility of mediation. Divan said there are several issues which require intervention by the court.

On January 10, a Supreme Court bench recused itself from hearing the matter.

A bench of Justices Chandrachud and Bopanna, after the case was called out for hearing, told counsel in the matter they belonged to Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Though the state government counsel, involved in the matter, contended before the bench that they have no objection to the bench hearing the case, the bench said that earlier Supreme Court judges Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice Mohan M. Shantanagoudar had recused themselves from the matter due to similar reasons.

"We don't want ourselves to be the target of invectives," said the bench.

The bench further added that it is better that this case is taken up for hearing by a different combination of judges.