The Supreme Court reprimanded the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi Government on Monday for its failure to address defects in a petition regarding the release of surplus water from Haryana amidst a severe water scarcity in parts of Delhi. The court expressed frustration and cautioned that the petition could be dismissed if the issues were not rectified promptly.
Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and PB Varale admonished the Delhi Government for its lax approach, emphasizing the importance of adhering to court procedures. They warned against taking the court for granted and stressed the significance of addressing the defects in the petition. The bench also emphasized the need for thorough documentation and urged both parties to ensure that all relevant information is properly submitted.
The petition filed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government sought direction from the court to compel the Haryana government to release surplus water, which was originally allocated by Himachal Pradesh to Delhi. The Delhi government highlighted the reduction in its water share by Haryana, exacerbating the city's water crisis.
The court, which will resume hearing the case on June 12, had previously instructed Himachal Pradesh to release water to Delhi via Haryana. It also directed Haryana to facilitate the flow of any excess water from Himachal Pradesh to Delhi, emphasizing the importance of water conservation.
In response, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini refuted the allegations made by the AAP government, accusing them of spreading misinformation. He affirmed that Haryana was fulfilling its obligations and criticized the Delhi government for mismanaging the water crisis.