SC Grants 6-Week Time To Centre To Settle SYL Canal Dispute

The Supreme Court on Thursday granted six weeks’ time after the Centre sought more time to resolve the water dispute between Haryana and Punjab on Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal.

Appearing before the bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra, Attorney General (AG) KK Venugopal sought more time, saying: "The issue was being discussed with both the states for a meaningful settlement, for which the Union government needed more time."

To which, the CJI bench granted six weeks in the case.

Earlier, the bench had asked Centre to intervene and settle the issue between the two states by September.

In November last year, a five-judge constitution bench had set aside the Punjab Termination of Agreement Act, 2004, under which the 1981 water-sharing pact of the state with Haryana was terminated. The SYL Canal was a product of this 1981 agreement.