The Central government on Monday told the Supreme Court that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has allowed it to render assistance to Karnataka to help certain areas of the State tide over the ongoing drought situation [State of Karnataka v. Union of India and ors].A Bench of Justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta adjourned the matter after Attorney General of India R Venkataramani said that the issue would be dealt with expeditiously."No argument needed now," the AG said, adding that some development would take place in the matter by Monday.While Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, who represented the State of Karnataka, did not oppose the request for adjournment. The Court said,"It has to be happen amicably, given this is a federal structure."The Bench was hearing a plea by the Karnataka government alleging that the Central government was not extending financial assistance to the State under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).The State in its plea said that it was constrained to approach the top court as the Central government's alleged arbitrary actions had resulted in violation of the fundamental rights of the people of Karnataka.The Union government had not yet acted upon an Inter-Ministerial Central Team report on the disaster for nearly six months now, and the situation has worsened due to the withholding of NDRF benefits to the State, the top court was told.In the previous hearing in the matter, the Court had remarked that there should not be any contest between the Union and State governments.
TAGS: Central government Supreme Court Election Commission of India Karnataka drought situation National Disaster Response Fund
