Water dispute: HC dismisses Punjab's plea seeking recall or modification of May 6 order

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed the Punjab government's plea seeking a recall or modification of its May 6 order which asked it to release water to Haryana.
Punjab had sought a recall or modification of the high court's order pertaining to Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan's May 2 decision to release 4,500 cusecs of extra water to Haryana.
The high court had directed Punjab to abide by the decision of the meeting held on May 2 under the chairmanship of the Union Home Secretary.
Punjab had alleged concealment of "material facts" by the Centre, Haryana and the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) which led to the May 6 high court order.
In the order that came out on Saturday, the division bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel dismissed the Punjab government's plea.
Referring to the state of Punjab's assertion that disputes relating to water between two or more states emanate from Article 262 of the Constitution, pursuant to which Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, the court said, "Merely because this court held that Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 is a manifestation of Article 262 (1) of the Constitution, does not help the stance of State of Punjab in any manner in its attempt to seek re-calling/ modification of the order, unless the State of Punjab can show that because of this error, any prejudice has been caused to it, which is certainly not the case herein."
The major thrust of Punjab's argument is as regards material concealment on the part of BBMB and Haryana by contending that the April 29 letter of Haryana, requesting the BBMB Chairman to refer the matter to the Centre was not brought to the notice of the court.
"Taking up the ground of non-disclosure of the letter, it is obvious from reading of the said letter that the extraordinary meeting of the BBMB dated April 28 was held to execute the resolution dated April 23 of the Technical Committee of BBMB. However, this letter clearly reveals that the State of Haryana was aggrieved by non-execution of resolution of BBMB, especially regarding release of 8500 cusecs of water to Haryana.
"Contents of letter April 29 further elicit that stance taken therein was that the BBMB was being monopolised by Punjab. Thus, the State of Haryana under Explanation - II to Rule 7 of 1974 Rules, requested the Chairman of the BBMB to refer the matter to Centre for implementation of earlier resolution," said the order.
A close scrutiny of Rule 7 of 1974 Rules, along with both the explanations, reveals that in case of difference of opinion among the members on any question of policy or the rights of any of the participating states, the chairman shall refer the matter to the central government, which shall decide the same, it said.
The court further stated that the April 29 letter does not relate to any dissent by Haryana but contains a request to the BBMB Chairman to refer the matter to the central government for the execution of the minutes of the April 28 meeting.
Thus, in essence, the letter dated April 29 does not raise any dispute or difference of opinion of Haryana but merely seeks implementation of the April 28 resolution of the Technical Committee of the Board. As such, this letter cannot be treated as a reference to the Centre, the court held.
Consequently, the April 29 letter of Haryana does not fall within the realm of "material fact", non-disclosure of which is hence inconsequential, it said.
Regarding the ground of BBMB being incompetent to decide the issue once the matter was referred to the government of India is concerned, the order said since this court has held the April 29 letter not to be a reference to the government of India, the question of reference being pending with the government of India does not arise and, thus, BBMB was free to act in accordance with law.
Referring to its May 6 order, the court mentioned that it disposed of the matter in the backdrop of an emergent situation that had arisen and any delay in resolving the dispute would have caused irreparable damage to millions of residents of different states, including Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi.
On May 20, Haryana, BBMB and the Centre had filed their replies to Punjab's plea which sought a review or modification of the high court's May 6 order.
Haryana had earlier submitted that the application filed by Punjab is "complete abuse of the process of the court with an ulterior motive to wriggle out from the proceedings of contempt."
Punjab and Haryana had been at loggerheads over the distribution of water with the AAP government refusing to share water from Bhakra Dam, saying the neighbouring State has already utilised its share of water.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

NDTV

37 minutes ago

• NDTV

English No Longer Colonial Relic But A Global Tool For Progress: Tamil Nadu Minister

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi has criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his recent remarks on the English language, calling it a veiled attempt to deny access to knowledge and empowerment for the underprivileged. In a sharp response posted on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Poyyamozhi wrote, "English is no longer a colonial relic - it's a global tool of progress. Nations like China, Japan, Korea, Israel and Germany teach it not as some colonial hangover, but to lead in science, tech, and trade." Taking aim at the BJP and its ideological parent, the RSS, he added, "Here in India, Amit Shah and the RSS want to paint English as elitist - not because it harms our culture, but because it empowers the poor, Dalits, and backward communities to rise. Like Sanskrit once was, they now want English kept out of reach for the masses. This isn't about language - it's about control." The DMK leader asserted that Tamil Nadu believes in equal access, offering Tamil for identity and English for opportunity - a dual-language approach that he said lifts all children rather than leaving many behind. His statement came in the wake of controversial comments by Amit Shah at a book launch, where the Union Minister said, "In our lifetime, we will see a society in which those speaking English will feel ashamed, that day is not far". He further claimed that Indian culture and identity cannot be understood through "foreign languages". Mr Shah's comments have reignited the ongoing language row between the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government and the BJP at the Centre. The DMK has consistently opposed the three-language policy under the National Education Policy (NEP), terming it a "backdoor attempt" to impose Hindi and marginalise non-Hindi speakers in the country's diverse linguistic landscape. While the BJP maintains that the policy only promotes learning additional Indian languages and strengthens the mother tongue, the DMK counters that in practice, only Hindi gets prioritised - particularly pointing to the Kendriya Vidyalayas in Tamil Nadu, where Tamil teachers are often not appointed 'citing' low enrolment, leading to growing fears of linguistic exclusion.

India Gazette

37 minutes ago

• India Gazette

Yoga brings unity among mind, brain and body: Union Home Minister Amit Shah celebrates 11th IYD in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], June 21 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah participated in the 11th International Yoga Day celebrations in Gujarat's Ahmedabad on Saturday. Taking to 'X', the Union Home Minister extended his wishes on the International Yoga Day and said that yoga brings unity among the mind, body and brain. Amit Shah stated that in today's world, yoga is becoming a part of the daily routine of people across the world. ''Yoga', which brings unity among mind, body and brain, has today become a part of the daily routine of people all over the world. On the occasion of 'International Yoga Day', performed yoga with the residents in Ahmedabad', Amit Shah's 'X' post. Meanwhile, 2121 participants held the cobra pose for two minutes and nine seconds while performing yoga in Gujarat's Vadnagar on Saturday and achieved the Guinness World Record. According to Richard Stunning, official adjudicator at Guinness World Records, a record with a title for the most people performing the cobra pose in yoga began on Saturday. The minimum number of participants for the record was 250; they had to hold the Yoga Cobra pose for at least a minute. A total of 2184 participants breached the one-minute timeline; they ended up holding the cobra pose for two minutes and nine seconds. The Guinness World Records discounted 64 participants, after which 2121 participants held the cobra pose for two minutes and nine seconds to clinch the Guinness World Record. 'The Guinness World Records title that starts today is the most people performing the cobra pose in yoga, simultaneously. We set a guideline that everyone had to do it for at least a minute each, and we set a minimum target of 250 participants. Today, they did it for more than a minute, they did it for two minutes and nine seconds, and the total was 2185. We had to discount 64 participants. So the confirmed title is 2121 participants. Given we set a minimum of 250, this is smashing the Guinness World Record. Congratulations to everyone involved, and it's a fantastic achievement', Richard Stunning told ANI. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the main national event on the 11th International Yoga Day from Visakhapatnam. (ANI)

News18

an hour ago

• News18

As PM Modi Raises Deep Fake Menace, Govt Steps Up Fight Against AI Misinformation

Last Updated: The government has launched a multi-pronged strategy combining legal enforcement, regulatory measures, and technological innovation to ensure a secure digital environment Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his recent three-nation trip, said the world cannot ignore the threats of technology, including the misuse of deep fake, even as he lauded the advancement of technology. Back home, a full-scale effort is underway to mitigate the challenge of AI misinformation. The Union government has launched a multi-pronged strategy combining legal enforcement, regulatory measures, and technological innovation to ensure a secure and trustworthy digital environment. At the heart of this initiative lies the Information Technology Act, 2000, which, along with the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, forms the legal foundation to tackle cybercrimes, including deep fakes. The IT Act penalises a range of offences such as identity theft, impersonation, privacy violations, transmission of obscene material, and cyberterrorism—irrespective of whether the content is human-generated or AI-created. Under the 2021 IT Rules, digital platforms and intermediaries, including social media companies, are legally required to act swiftly against unlawful content. This includes misinformation, impersonation, obscene visuals, gender-based harassment, and content that can mislead or deceive users. These platforms are also obligated to incorporate explicit content restrictions in their terms of service and ensure rapid redressal of user grievances. The government has also directed platforms to exercise caution when deploying AI models, LLMs (Large Language Models), and generative AI tools. Platforms must ensure such technologies are not used to spread unlawful, biased, or politically disruptive content. Furthermore, content generated through unverified AI tools must be appropriately labelled to indicate its potential unreliability. To bolster user protection, the Grievance Appellate Committees (GACs) have been established under the IT Rules, 2021. These committees offer users the option to file appeals at if dissatisfied with how digital platforms handle complaints, including those related to deep fakes. Meanwhile, with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, set to come into force from July 1, 2024, legal backing for tackling deep fakes will be further reinforced. Sections like 111 (organised cybercrime), 318 (cheating), 319 (impersonation), and 336 (forgery) are directly applicable to deep fake-related offences. At the enforcement level, the Ministry of Home Affairs' Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) provides a comprehensive support system for law enforcement agencies (LEAs) across states. Citizens can report cybercrimes through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal ( or by calling the dedicated helpline 1930. In terms of innovation, the government has funded two key projects: Fake Speech Detection Using Deep Learning Design and Development of Software for Detecting Deepfake Videos and Images. The latter has led to the creation of 'FakeCheck", a prototype tool capable of detecting deep fakes without needing internet connectivity. The tool is currently being tested by select LEAs. Further, under the IndiaAI Mission, the government has invited expressions of interest from academia, start-ups, and industry players to develop responsible AI frameworks, watermarking tools, and deep fake detection technologies. So far, 38 proposals on watermarking and 100 on deep fake detection tools have been submitted. 'As the digital landscape evolves rapidly, the government maintains that enforcement remains a state subject. Citizens are encouraged to report violations either through or the national helpline 1093, ensuring swift legal action wherever necessary," the Ministry of Information and Technology has been saying. To ensure an inclusive and informed approach, a high-level committee comprising stakeholders from government, academia, and industry has been constituted to address the broader implications and solutions related to deep fakes. First Published: June 21, 2025, 15:14 IST