KWDT- II: AP seeks time till June 10 to file SOC, asked to comply before April 29

1 month ago

River

Hyderabad: AP has drawn a blank in its pleas for grant of more time to present its statement of (SOC) before the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal -II which has been tasked with adjudication between the two Telugu States on sharing and utilisation of the river waters under the further terms of reference issued by the government.

Even as Telangana has presented its statement of case, AP has sought time till June 10, 2024. The tribunal in fact, allowed both the states six weeks of time starting from November 22,2023 to file the Statements of case

It was extended further till March 20, 2024 on the request of the two states. AP which had failed to fulfill the obligation, as it claimed, on account of the Model Code of Conduct that came into effect on March 16, 2024 with the issue of elections schedule.

The request made by AP was strongly opposed the counsel for Telangana State. He pleaded that the AP was deliberately trying to delay the proceedings of the Tribunal and it would have a bearing on its interests.

The Tribunal was also not convinced with the reasons cited by AP for non compliance of the obligation for filing statement of case before the expiry of the extended date.

The Tribunal, however, wanted AP to file the statement of case on or before April 29, 2024. It granted two weeks of time thereafter for AP and TS to present their replies to the statements of case filed against each other.