Supreme Court weighs in on Centre vs States dispute over Karnataka Drought Relief Funds

The petition claims that the central government has not provided financial assistance to the Karnataka government in response to a drought affecting multiple districts. The state argues that this failure to disburse funds has violated the fundamental rights of the people of the southern state. It also points out that the centre has not acted on a report on the drought-related disaster for nearly six months, aggravating the situation due to the withholding of National Disaster Response Fund benefits.

During the court proceedings, the state government’s senior advocate, Kapil Sibal, highlighted that the centre was required to act on the report within a month of its submission. In response, the center questioned the timing of the petition in light of the upcoming Lok Sabha election and suggested that the state should have approached the Prime Minister’s government before seeking intervention from the court. This conflict between the Centre and states has gained attention ahead of the Lok Sabha election, particularly with southern states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala challenging the central government over the disbursement of funds and the devolution of taxes.

The Karnataka petition follows closely on the heels of Tamil Nadu’s request for an ex-parte order compelling the centre to release Rs 2,000 crore as part of an interim relief package for flood-ravaged districts. The situation has sparked a fierce debate, as states demand their fair share of funds and relief as recommended by the Finance Commission. These disputes are taking place against the backdrop of imminent elections and are receiving significant media coverage, including the recent developments involving the southern states’ grievances against the centre.