SC judge UU Lalit biased in favour of TN on Cauvery, say Karnataka lawyers

The Karnataka government has not however asked for a change of judges hearing the case, which it could have during the first hearing itself.
SC judge UU Lalit biased in favour of TN on Cauvery, say Karnataka lawyers
SC judge UU Lalit biased in favour of TN on Cauvery, say Karnataka lawyers
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Adding to the increasing apprehension of people in Karnataka about the Supreme Court’s decisions on the Cauvery case, the Federation of Bar Associations in Karnataka has released a statement stating that the recent decisions by SC on the Cauvery case “confirm” that Justice UU Lalit “is biased in favour of Tamil Nadu”.

Justice UU Lalit had represented Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in the disproportional assets case earlier, and is now one of the judges hearing the Cauvery case.

Members of lawyers’ federation are holding a protest against the continued participation of Lalit in the case on Thursday in order to bring the issue to the Karnataka CM Siddarmaiah’s notice.

In a letter dated September 28, president of the federation K S Subba Reddy wrote:

“The federation of Bar Associations in Karnataka, in its meeting held on 27.09.2016, has unanimously resolved to hold protest/demonstration against the continued participation of Justice U U Lalit as part of the Division Bench assigned to hear the Cauvery Water Dispute between the State of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. It is well known that Mr Justice UU Lalit, had appeared in series of cases for Selvi Jayalalithaa, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and there is a general apprehension that he is biased in favour of Tamil Nadu in the ongoing dispute. That apprehension is further confirmed by various unacceptable directions made to the Karnataka Government.”

The Karnataka government has not however asked for a change of judges hearing the case, which it could have during the first hearing itself. 

Meanwhile, in an interview to Frontline magazine, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that it is his “firm belief” that the dispute requires a political solution and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention, as he is the head of the federation. “It has been my firm conviction that more than a legal solution, this dispute requires to be given a political solution,” he said.

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