Supreme Court comments on Centre vs State Funds Row regarding Karnataka Drought Relief Funds

The Karnataka government has filed a petition claiming that the centre has not provided financial assistance in light of a drought in multiple districts. The government argues that they have been forced to seek court intervention as the failure to disburse funds has violated the fundamental rights of the people in the state.

Additionally, the state has pointed out that the centre has not taken action on a report about the drought-related disaster for nearly six months, further exacerbating the situation. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the state government, highlighted that the centre was required to act on the report within a month of its submission, which has not been done.

In response, the centre questioned the timing of the petition, given the upcoming Lok Sabha election, and suggested that the state should have approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government before going to the court. This conflict between the centre and states has gained attention, particularly in southern states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.

These states have challenged the centre over the disbursal of funds and devolution of taxes, further escalating the tension between them. The Karnataka petition comes shortly after Tamil Nadu sought an ex-parte order for the centre to release Rs 2,000 crore as part of an interim relief package for flood-affected districts.

This dispute reflects ongoing tensions between the centre and various states, especially in the lead-up to the general election.