On Monday, 8 April, the Supreme Court heard the plea from the Karnataka government requesting the Centre to release funds for drought relief, emphasizing that there should not be a contentious situation between the Union and the state. Justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta were informed by Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Union government, that they would seek guidance on the matter.
Initially, the apex court requested the Union government to submit a response to Karnataka’s plea, noting that various state governments were required to approach the court. The solicitor general urged the court to address the matter after two weeks, stating that they would seek guidance on the issue.
The bench emphasized the importance of communication with authorities to resolve such issues without resorting to court intervention. The top law officers expressed their readiness to seek instructions and provide a statement in the court at the next hearing.
The petition seeks to declare the Union government’s failure to release financial aid for drought relief as violative of fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. It highlights the severe drought conditions in Karnataka, affecting millions of people and resulting in substantial crop losses.
The plea underscores the obligation of the Union government under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, to provide financial assistance to affected states. Despite the assessment by an inter-ministerial central team and consideration by a sub-committee of the National Executive Committee, the plea alleges that the Union government has not made a final decision on releasing funds from the National Disaster Response Fund, which is deemed illegal and arbitrary.
The petition concludes that the Union government’s inaction is in violation of statutory provisions and fundamental rights guaranteed to the citizens of Karnataka.
