Judgment

RANGANATH MISRA, J.:- This is an application under Article 32 of the Constitution filed by the Tamil Nadu Cauvery Neerppasana Vilaiporulgal Vivasayigal Nala Urimal Padhugappu Sangam which is said to be a society registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act asking this Court for direction to the Union of India, respondent No. 1, to refer the dispute relating to the water utilisation of the Cauvery river and equitable distribution thereof in terms of Section 4 of the Inter-State Water Disputes Act, 1966, and for a mandamus to the State of Karnataka not to proceed with the construction of dams, projects and reservoirs across the said river and/ or on any of its tributaries within the State and to restore supply of water to the State of Tamil Nadu as envisaged in the agreements dated 18th of February, 1924. To the petition States of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala and the Union Territory of Pondicherry have been added as respondents 2 to 5 respectively.

2. In the petition it has been alleged that the petitioners society is an organisation of agriculturists of Tamil Nadu and they are entitled to the lower riparian rights of Cauvery river for cultivating their lands