SYL Row: Legal Team Constituted to Advice Punjab on SC Ruling

The SC said the state’s decision to junk an agreement on sharing of river waters with other states was illegal. (Photo: The Quint)

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• The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that Punjab does not have any right to unilaterally terminate water-sharing agreements with neighbouring states
  
  
• It said the Termination of Agreements Act 2004 stands null and void
  
• The verdict has already led to a political slugfest after all Congress MLAs in the Punjab Assembly resign

Updated at:11th Nov, 2016 at 6:04 PM

A day after Supreme Court held as "unconstitutional" the 2004 law passed by Punjab to terminate the SYL canal water sharing agreement, the Punjab said that a three-member legal team will critically examine the ruling and advice the government on this matter.

A legal team will study the judgement and examine it critically and then give some recommendations and advice to the state government. By tomorrow evening, we may be ready to advise the government on this matter.

Ashok Aggarwal, Punjab Advocate General

"A legal team will study the judgement and examine it critically and then give some recommendations and advice to the state government," Punjab Advocate General Ashok Aggarwal said.

The team comprises Additional Advocate Generals--Kamal Sehgal, Vinod Bhardwaj and Rajat Khanna.

Updated at:11th Nov, 2016 at 6:29 PM

Punjab Congress to Meet President

Amarinder Singh said the party's state unit leaders, including MPs, will meet President Pranab Mukherjee in connection with the SYL issue.

Updated at:11th Nov, 2016 at 6:04 PM

Amarinder, Cong MLAs ‘Trying To Be Martyrs’

Terming the resignation of Amarinder Singh as a “drama to mislead the people”, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Friday said if the Punjab Congress president were “sincere and honest” he would have announced not to contest Assembly polls.

The Chief Minister accused the Punjab Congress leadership of “playing to the gallery” over the issue and said Amarinder and his colleagues were “trying to become martyrs” by tendering resignations just before Assembly polls.

Updated at:11th Nov, 2016 at 5:58 PM

42 Congress MLAs Resign

All Opposition Congress MLAs on Friday submitted their resignation to the Punjab Assembly Secretary to protest the Supreme Court's ruling favouring Haryana on the SYL issue.

The 42 MLAs, including leader of opposition Charanjit Singh Channi, Sunil Jakhar, Sukhjinder Randhawa and Balbir Singh Sidhu, went to the assembly and submitted their resignations to assembly secretary Shashi Lakhanpal Mishra as speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal was not present.

Senior Congress leaders, including Amarinder Singh, Partap Singh Bajwa and Ambika Soni accompanied the MLAs.

The State Congress has also demanded setting up of another tribunal to assess the amount of water the state presently has access to.

Updated at:11th Nov, 2016 at 5:58 PM

Haryana Halts Bus Services To Punjab, Jammu

(Photo: ANI)

Passengers have been stranded after Haryana Roadways decided to stop all buses services from Haryana’s Jind district to Punjab and Jammu for security reasons.

Updated at:11th Nov, 2016 at 3:21 PM

Amarinder’s Fresh Attack On CM Badal

Amarinder Singh launched a fresh attack on Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, alleging that Badal has “failed to protect the interest” of the people.

“Why is Badal not protecting Punjab's interests? Is it because he has made a lot of money and doesn't care what happens in his area,” he asked.

Punjab Congress chief also announced that his party will take out a rally on the issue on Sunday.

Updated at:11th Nov, 2016 at 3:21 PM

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‘Will Not Allow SYL to be Built at Any Cost’: Punjab Govt

In a press conference, Punjab government passed the resolution, to not give any water to Haryana.

The cabinet has taken the decision taken at an emergency meeting of Punjab cabinet said that Punjab Govt would not allow SYL to be built at any cost. Punjab council of ministers declared that not a single drop of water from Punjab rivers would be allowed to go out of state.

The government also announced a gathering “Pani Bachao, Punjab bachao” to discuss the issue among the citizens of the state.

“As far as legal steps are concerned, advocate will advise us on what can be legally done”, Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal told mediapersons.

Updated at:10th Nov, 2016 at 7:51 PM

BSP supremo Mayawati condemned the Congress MLAs’ decision to submit their resignations.

Resignations in the Congress mean that they don’t respect the verdict of SC and think that they are bigger than apex court

Updated at:10th Nov, 2016 at 7:11 PM

Badal, Amarinder Singh Engage in War of Words

Immediately reacting to Badal’s statement calling his resignation a “drama”, Amarinder Singh said:

“He (Parkash Singh Badal) will know who is doing drama when the elections come, he keeps on saying unimportant stuff. I have been saying this for long that he must retire, let somebody else come.”

Responding to Amarinder Singh’s resignation, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday said that “his resignation is only a drama.”

“Everything will be decided either in the core committee or in the Cabinet meet that is to take place on the verdict,” he added.

Updated at:10th Nov, 2016 at 5:51 PM

Haryana CM Welcomes Verdict

Haryana Chief Minister, ML Khattar said that he welcomes the late decision which is in favour of the state.

We welcome SC’s verdict on Sutlej water sharing. It’s natural justice. We will fight a legal battle.

Updated at:10th Nov, 2016 at 5:45 PM

Capt Amarinder Singh Resigns as MP

Captain Amarinder Singh also submitted his resignation as Member of Parliament (MP) and called for a press conference at 4.30 pm.

Singh said that he was disappointed by the SC order and it will ruin Punjab farmers.

“The present government of Punjab didn’t protect the rights of farmers, it will impact at least 10 lakh acres of agricultural land and it will affect the livelihoods of farmers. I have already filed my resignation to Lok Sabha Speaker,” he said.

When asked about Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s actions following the judgement, he told CNN News 18:

I don’t know what he will do, Mr Badal is unpredictable, he may launch a morcha, he loves launching morchas and creating turmoil in Punjab, which is the bane of our existence, god knows what he will do. As far as we are concerned, Haryana will never get the water because we cannot deprive Punjab’s 10,ooo acres.

Updated at:10th Nov, 2016 at 5:45 PM

Big Blow to Punjab Government

In a major setback to the Punjab government, the Supreme Court on Thursday said that the state does not have any right to unilaterally terminate water-sharing agreements with neighbouring states including Haryana and Punjab.

It said that the Punjab Termination of Agreement Act 2004, which cancels the water-sharing agreement, stand null and void.

The verdict is likely to play a huge role in Punjab, which is slated to go for Assembly elections in 2017. The ruling also means that the Centre could now take over the Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal project.

The political fallout of the decision could be witnessed as all Congress MLAs in the Punjab Assembly immediately resigned after the judgement.

They argued that the decision of the Supreme Court was not in favour of Punjab and it will benefit Haryana.

Updated at:11th Nov, 2016 at 5:58 PM

SC Nullifies Punjab Law

The Termination of Agreements Act 2004 was passed by the Vidhan Sabha in 2004 when Captain Amarinder Singh was the Chief Minister. By passing this act, the Punjab Government had terminated the agreements of sharing of water with Haryana, Rajasthan and other states.

The ruling SAD and opposition Congress had announced to oppose Supreme Court order which is against the interest of Punjab.

Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal had said that if Rajasthan, Bihar and other states were claiming royalty from other states for using mineral resources then Punjab had the right to claim royalty from riparian states for using the river waters.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)

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Updated at:11th Nov, 2016 at 3:25 PM