Jaya criticises TN CM's contention

Chennai, Mar 17 (UNI) AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa today dismissed as ''fraud'' the contention that the Centre could notify the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal in the gazette only after the mandatory 90-days time, given for concerned states to file their appeals.

Joining issue with Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on the issue, Ms Jayalalithaa, in a statement here, dubbed as totally false the argument that the Centre could issue the notification only after the completition of 90-days time given by the tribunal to the concerned states to seek explanation or guidance.

A day after Mr Karunanidhi quoted eminent lawyers K Parasaran and P P Rao to drive home the point that immediate gazette notification was not possible, Ms Jayalalithaa challenged the Chief Minister to subject the two lawyers for a public debate in the presence of journalists and her lawyers.

Stating that she was expressing her view on the issue with great care after consulting many lawyers, Ms Jayalalithaa agreed that section 5(3) of the Inter State Water Dispute Act, 1956 states that the concerned states should approach the tribunal within 90 days after the final award to seek an explanation or guidance.

But this was only the limitation time and this had nothing to do with section 6(3) of the Act, which empowered the Centre to gazette the final award and the Centre need not wait for the completion of 90 days as contended by Mr Karunanidhi, she said.

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