Hans News Service Bengaluru

TheKarnataka government has decided to approach the Supreme Court against the Centre for withholding ₹2,186.20 crore due to the state’s Gram Panchayats under the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission.

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Eshwar B. Khandre held a meeting with Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty and senior officials at his office on Thursday to discuss the legal course of action. Khandre expressed displeasure over the Centre’s refusal to release the ₹2,186.20 crore allocated to Karnataka’s Gram Panchayats for 2025-26.

The minister said the Centre’s decision assumes significance at a time when Karnataka is facing drought-like conditions due to inadequate rainfall. Drinking water shortages have been reported in 710 villages, with 149 villages receiving water through tankers. The government has also hired 561 private borewells to meet the water requirements.

Khandre said farmers were already facing difficulties as seeds sown in several areas had failed to germinate. The meeting discussed the legal grounds on which the Centre’s decision to withhold the funds meant for the state’s Gram Panchayats could be challenged before the Supreme Court.

Preparations for gram panchayat elections

The state government is also preparing to conduct elections to Gram Panchayats, Taluk Panchayats and Zilla Panchayats whose terms have expired. Khandre said the elections had been delayed as government staff were deployed for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) work. He said the government was now fully prepared to conduct the Gram Panchayat elections and that a preliminary notification would be issued shortly.

During the meeting, Khandre sought details from Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty and Panchayat Raj Department Secretary D. Randeep on the legal aspects involved in conducting the elections.