Belagavi (Karnataka) [India], June 18 : Senior Supreme Court advocate Mohan Kataraki said there were "no legal obstacles" to passing a resolution in the Belagavi Municipal Corporation declaring Belagavi an integral part of Karnataka.
Kataraki, who represents the Karnataka government in the Mahadayi river water dispute case, made the remarks while interacting with pro-Kannada activists at the Circuit House in Belagavi.
The meeting was held after the Municipal Corporation Commissioner reportedly cited legal hurdles in passing such a resolution.
Several Kannada activists have been fighting for years for a resolution to be passed declaring Belagavi an integral part of Karnataka sought legal advice on the issue.
Addressing the media after the meeting, Kataraki said, "There are no legal obstacles to moving a resolution on behalf of Karnataka in the Belagavi Municipal Corporation. Belagavi is historically and legally an integral part of Karnataka."
He also raised what he described as important issues relating to the government's position on the border dispute, the Mahadayi project and the Almatti reservoir project.
The demand for a resolution declaring Belagavi an integral part of Karnataka has been raised by pro-Kannada groups for several years. The issue gained renewed attention after the Municipal Corporation Commissioner stated that legal hurdles existed in passing such a resolution.
The border dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra over Belagavi remains pending before the courts.
The remarks came amid continuing discussions among pro-Kannada organisations regarding the passage of a resolution in the Belagavi Municipal Corporation on the status of the city.