Centre obliged to implement Cauvery award: SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the Centre for not framing a scheme for the implementation of its verdict on the sharing of Cauvery river water as it declined its plea for deferring the issue by three months.

Asking the Centre to draft the scheme by May 3, a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said: "You must show your bonafide that you will frame a scheme to respect the top court order for the distribution of water."

Asking Attorney General K.K. Venugopal to file the scheme as ordered by the top court by its February 16 judgement, Chief Justice Misra said: "You must file it... they are bound to do it and obliged to it."

Citing the ongoing election to Karnataka assembly and seeking some clarifications, the Centre had sought three months time to frame the scheme for the implementation of Cauvery award which was slightly modified by the apex court by its February judgement.

Appearing for Tamil Nadu, senior counsel Shekhar Naphade told the court that "your order was so clear that even a person having an elementary knowledge of English could understand it. But for reasons better known to Union of India, only they can't understand it."