DK Shivakumar Defers Cauvery Talks With Tamil Nadu CM Vijay Until Court Cases Conclude

The proposed meeting between Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to discuss the Cauvery water-sharing dispute has been deferred, with the Karnataka leader saying the talks should take place only after ongoing legal proceedings conclude.

Addressing reporters, Shivakumar stressed the need to respect the judicial process and said discussions on the sensitive interstate issue should be held in a more conducive environment. The development comes amid rising tensions over water sharing and the proposed Mekedatu project.

Shivakumar Calls For Calm, Says Meeting Should Wait

Explaining the postponement, Shivakumar said the meeting would be more productive once legal issues surrounding the Cauvery dispute were settled.

He said, “I have been requesting the Chief Minister that we should meet at a cordial time. Let these court issues be over. We have to respect the law of this country. We will have a meeting in a more cordial atmosphere.”

Appealing for peace, he urged organisations not to resort to protests or shutdowns over the issue.

He added, “I appeal to all organisations: let us not have any bandh. Let us maintain peace. This is a peace-loving state. Let us protect everyone’s lives.”

#WATCH | Bengaluru: On postponing the meeting with Tamil Nadu CM Vijay, Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar says, “I have been requesting the Chief Minister that we should meet at a cordial time. Let these court issues be over. We have to respect the law of this country. We will have a… pic.twitter.com/ApFV8pHkgX

— ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2026

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Tamil Nadu Yet To Confirm Chief Minister’s Visit

Reports had indicated that Chief Minister Joseph Vijay was expected to travel to Bengaluru on August 3 for talks with Shivakumar on the Cauvery water dispute and the contentious Mekedatu balancing reservoir project.

However, Tamil Nadu’s Minister for Energy Resources and Law, R. Nirmalkumar, clarified on Friday that no final decision had been taken regarding the visit.

According to the minister, the Chief Minister is still consulting experts and stakeholders before deciding on the next course of action. The proposed meeting, which was expected to be held at the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru, has drawn opposition from farmer groups and political leaders in both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

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Water Release Order Intensifies Cauvery Row

The postponement comes against the backdrop of fresh directions from the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee, which earlier this week instructed Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water over a period of 15 days. The order, later upheld by the Cauvery Water Management Authority, is expected to enable Tamil Nadu to receive around 4 TMC of water.

The decades-old Cauvery water-sharing dispute routinely intensifies during the monsoon season, with this year’s disagreement further aggravated by below-normal rainfall in Karnataka.

Tamil Nadu has maintained that it is entitled to its allocated share of Cauvery water and has indicated that it will move the Supreme Court to seek enforcement of its claims, rejecting Karnataka’s objections.

Earlier this week, Shivakumar had invited Vijay to visit Karnataka’s Cauvery reservoir region to witness the impact of water scarcity firsthand, saying such a visit would provide a better understanding of the state’s current situation amid drought conditions.

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