SC directs Centre to constitute tribunal to decide Pennaiyar river dispute

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Monday directed constitution of a Tribunal for resolving disputes pending between the States of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over sharing of Pennaiyar river water resources.

The Court ordered the constitution of a Water Disputes Tribunal by the Central Government within 1 month. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and NV Anjaria delivered the judgment, after having reserved its decision in December last year. In September, 2025, the Court was informed that a Tribunal was required to be constituted for resolution of the dispute.

Pennaiyar is an inter-state river. The State of Karnataka is upper riparian and Tamil Nadu, lower riparian.

Karnataka sought one more attempt for holding the talks.

Tamil Nadu has filed a complaint under Section 3 of the Act of 1956, complaining that various projects taken by the State of Karnataka across the main Pennaiyar River and its tributary Markendeya Nadhi have prejudicially affected or are likely to affect the interests of the downstream state of Tamil Nadu and its inhabitants.

Karnataka, opposing the contention submitted that out of the total water of 11.77 TMC in the catchment of Karnataka, the state has planned utilisation of 9.77 TMC, leaving 2 TMC and surplus water to the State of Tamil Nadu, which it submitted as sufficient to meet the requirements of Tamil Nadu.

On January 02, 2025, the Union government submitted an affidavit stating that it desired to call a meeting at the Ministers level. Accordingly, a meeting was called on March 18, 2025; however, Tamil Nadu declined to attend, alleging that no purpose would be served, and sought the constitution of a tribunal.