Krishna panel tells AP, Telangana government to file affidavits

Hyderabad: Krishna Waters Disputes Tribunal-II, headed by Justice Brijesh Kumar on Tuesday asked both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states to file their affidavits by March 20. The extended KWDT-II has already adjudicated that it will decide on the distribution of 1,004 tmc ft among the allocation made to the undivided AP between AP and Telangana states.

However, the Supreme Court dismissed the Special Leave Petition filed by TS challenging the Tribunal order and AP, which had also filed an SLP, did not press for it to be taken up by the apex court. The original suits filed by both Telangana and AP governments against the Tribunal’s final order in 2013 have not come up before the apex court for hearing so far. Expecting that the apex court will hear their petition expeditiously and also extend some relief, governments of both Telangana and AP had sought an extension of hearing by the Justice Brijesh Kumar Tribunal.

Accordingly, the Tribunal had given four weeks’ time and posted the matter for Tuesday. With no relief in hand, representatives for the governments of both the state appeared before the Justice Brijesh Kumar Tribunal and sought six weeks to file their claims. While granting time till March 20, the Tribunal made it clear that the next hearing on their pleas will be held on March 23 and 24.