Border row: SC allows Maharashtra govt to file case

The Supreme Court on Monday gave permission to the Maharashtra government to file an amended suit challenging the States Re-organisation Act, 1956 and Bombay Re-organisation Act 1960 following which 814 Marathi-speaking villages were transferred to Karnataka.

The Supreme Court on Monday gave permission to the Maharashtra government to file an amended suit challenging the States Re-organisation Act, 1956 and Bombay Re-organisation Act 1960 following which 814 Marathi-speaking villages were transferred to Karnataka.

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A bench headed by Justice JM Panchal allowed the state to include extra grounds in its amended plea after the state counsel requested the court.

The plea was made following the Centre’s affidavit in which it raised objection to Maharashtra’s application wherein the state has criticised the policy that was followed while re-organising the states under the 1956 act.

The court granted the state four weeks to amend the suit that was filed on March 29, 2004.

The state’s counsel said that some basic principles like wishes of the people and linguistic criteria were not followed when the districts were ceded.

Senior advocate Fali Nariman, appearing for Karnataka, opposed the application for amending the six-year-old petition.