Cauvery row: Karnataka dented majesty of law, says SC; directs state to release 6,000 cusecs of water for 6 days

A day after the meeting convened by the Centre to iron out differences between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka on the impasse over Cauvery dispute failed to achieve any breakthrough, the Supreme court on Friday pulled Karnataka for its defiant stand and directed it to release water to Tamil Nadu.

Coming down heavily on the state's actions, the top court warned Karnataka that the wrath of law will fall upon them in case the Cauvery order was defied.

"Karnataka is flouting order and creating a situation in which the majesty of law is dented," the apex court said.  The court also directed it to release 6000 cusecs of water between October 1 and 6.

The apex court also asked the Centre to set up Cauvery Water Management Board by October 4 and directed Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry to give names of members for the Cauvery Water Management Board by Saturday.

After meeting the government representatives from both the states, Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti had on Thursday said that if the tension between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka prevailed, she would go on hunger strike at the border that separates the two states. Bharti also requested both states to sit down together and approach the court after finding some solution to their problems. 

Earlier, the apex court, had expressed its displeasure over Karnataka's inaction, saying that it violated the spirit of federalism or cooperation between states.