BBMB Has No Jurisdiction: Punjab Govt Tells High Court In Plea Challenging Release Of Extra Water To Haryana

The Punjab Government has submitted before the Punjab & Haryana High Court that the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has no authority to release water beyond the share allocated to each state under binding agreements.

The submission was made before Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry in a petition filed by the Punjab Government challenging the BBMB's  April 23, 2025, minutes of meeting wherein decision to release additional water to Haryana up to 8,500 cusecs of water was taken, citing an acute drinking water crisis and Yamuna canal repair work.

Punjab AG Maninderjit Singh Bedi submitted that the Board can only operate and maintain dams and regulate supply within the fixed allocations and it cannot unilaterally release more water to any State.

"BBMB has no jurisdiction to release water to any state beyond its share. This is strictly within the statutory framework, and altering it is impermissible,” he said.

Appearing for the BBMB, senior advocate Rajesh Garg, assisted by advocate Neha Matharoo, argued that the board had acted within its jurisdiction. “BBMB does not alter state shares. It regulates month-wise outflows from Bhakra and Pong based on inflows, reservoir safety and seasonal conditions. The April note was tentative, subject to bilateral agreement between Punjab and Haryana."

BBMB also claimed the release was “subject to bilateral arrangement”, However to this Punjab Government objected that, "no such agreement ever took place between Punjab and Haryana. Therefore no decision was there to implement. In these circumstances BBMB was not justified in releasing the additional water."

During the hearing, the Court said the Rule 7 of the BBMB Rules, 1974, provided an alternative remedy through an appeal to the central government against BBMB decisions, “Why don't you represent to the central government?”

Responding to the query, AG submitted that Haryana was the aggrieved party as the state was demanding the water from Punjab's share after exhausting its share, hence Haryana Government should have filed the representation.

After hearing the submissions the Court asked the Punjab Government to file the full text of the BBMB 1974 Rules and the Act under which they were framed.

The case is now listed for November 20.

Title: STATE OF PUNJAB THROUGH PRINCIPAL SECRETARY V/S BHAKRA BEAS MANAGEMENT BOARD AND OTHERS