Punjab Seeks Modification of High Court Order in BBMB Water Dispute
Overview of the Water-Sharing Conflict
Punjab has approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court to revise a May 6, 2025, order directing the state to comply with a decision to release additional water to Haryana under the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). The state alleges the order was based on misleading information, prompting the court to seek responses from the Centre, Haryana, and BBMB by May 20, 2025.
Context of the Dispute
The issue stems from a May 2 meeting chaired by the Union Home Secretary, which reportedly mandated Punjab to release an extra 4,500 cusecs of water to Haryana. Punjab claims the meeting lacked a clear agenda and proper authority, leading to the controversial court directive.
Punjab’s Legal Arguments
Claims of Misinformation
Through senior advocate Gurminder Singh, Punjab argued that the May 6 order resulted from inaccurate submissions by BBMB, Haryana, and the Union of India. Key points include:
• The May 2 meeting was not specifically about water allocation.
• The Union Home Secretary lacked the legal authority to decide water distribution.
• Meeting minutes were only shared with Punjab on May 9, revealing procedural lapses.
