Maharashtra-Karnataka Border Dispute - IE - 30/12/22

Context:
The border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka is intensifying, with both states passing a unanimous resolution to support a legal battle to resolve the dispute.
Relevance:
GS2
About:
-The border dispute over Belagavi, Karwar and Nipani in North Karnataka is long-standing. When state boundaries were redrawn on linguistic lines as per the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, Belagavi became part of the erstwhile Mysore state.
-Maharashtra claims that parts of Belagavi, where Marathi is the dominant language, should remain in Maharashtra.
In October 1966, the Centre set up the Mahajan Commission, led by former Chief Justice of India Mehr Chand Mahajan, to resolve the border dispute in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala.

->Basis of Maharashtra’s Claim:
-Maharashtra’s claim to seek the readjustment of its border was on the basis of contiguity, relative linguistic majority and wishes of the people. If the claim over Belagavi and surrounding areas was based on Marathi-speaking people and linguistic homogeneity, it laid its claim over Karwar and Supa where Konkani is spoken by citing Konkani as a dialect of Marathi.
-Its argument was based on the theory of villages being the unit for calculation and enumerated linguistic population in each village. Maharashtra also points out the historical fact that the revenue records in these Marathi-speaking areas are also kept in Marathi.

->Karnataka’s Position:
-Karnataka has argued that the settlement of boundaries as per the States Reorganisation Act is final.
-The boundary of the State was neither tentative nor flexible. The State argues that the issue would reopen border issues that have not been contemplated under the Act, and that such a demand should not be permitted.

->Methods Available:
-Mutual coop.
-Judicial Redressal
-Inter-state Council

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