SC declines to transfer 865 villages in Belgaum under central rule

New Delhi, Oct 25 (UNI) The Supreme Court today declined an application filed by the state of Maharashtra seeking to place 865 Marathi speaking villages in Belgaum district of Karnataka under the central rule.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices Arijit Pasayat and S H Kapadia, however, refused to hear the application which also contained a request to appoint its own commission to protect the lives and properties of Marathi dominated areas being targetted by Kannadigans.

The two states in dispute, Maharashtra and Karnataka, also have a boundary issue. Maharashtra has already filed an original suit seeking declaration that these 865 villages situated in Belgaum district should be transferred to Maharashtra since majority of the residents are Marathi speaking.

Whereas Karnataka has opposed the demand of Maharashtra and has not filed its reply to the till date. The suit is pending in the apex court since 2004 for transfer of these areas to Maharasshtra under the State Reorganisation Act of 1956.

According to the plaintiff state the Marathi mayor has been assaulted and Marathi-speaking residents of the area are being killed and targeted by Kannadigans.

UNI