On 26 September 2023 farmers' groups shut down parts of Bengaluru, and on 29 September pro-Kannada outfits called a statewide Karnataka bandh, to protest against orders to keep releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu in a drought year. The Supreme Court had refused on 21 September to interfere with the Cauvery Water Management Authority's order. On 29 September, 44 flights were cancelled at Bengaluru airport and police said 785 protesters were held in preventive detention. The same dispute returned in August 2026, with a fresh bandh call and new Supreme Court hearings.
Key takeaways
- The Cauvery water bandhs of September 2023 followed the Supreme Court's 21 September refusal to interfere with a Cauvery Water Management Authority order that Karnataka release 5,000 cusecs a day to Tamil Nadu for 15 days.
- The Bengaluru bandh of 26 September 2023 was called by the Karnataka Jala Samrakshana Samiti led by farmer leader Kuruburu Shanthakumar; police said more than 1,000 agitators were taken into preventive custody, and the response was partial.
- The Karnataka bandh of 29 September 2023 was called by Kannada Okkuta led by Vatal Nagaraj; 44 flights were cancelled at Bengaluru airport, schools were shut in six districts, and police reported 785 preventive detentions.
- Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said his government would not curtail the protests but called the Bengaluru bandh not in the state's interest and accused the BJP and JD(S), which backed the bandhs, of politicising the issue.
- Tamil Nadu said Karnataka had created an "artificial crisis" by releasing only 46.1 tmcft between June and early October 2023, against 123.06 tmcft due under the monthly schedule; Karnataka said a failed monsoon left it no water to spare.
- In November 2025 the Supreme Court called Tamil Nadu's challenge to Karnataka's Mekedatu dam premature, and in July 2026 the Central Water Commission returned Karnataka's revised Mekedatu report for revision.
- In August 2026 the dispute returned: the CWMA ordered 12,000 cusecs a day, a new Karnataka bandh drew a mixed response, and the Supreme Court told Karnataka to comply.
Background: the 2018 award
The Cauvery rises in Kodagu in Karnataka and flows into Tamil Nadu. The two states, with Kerala and Puducherry, have argued over its water since the colonial era. A tribunal gave its final award in 2007 The News Minute.
On 16 February 2018 the Supreme Court modified that award. Karnataka got 14.75 tmc ft more, taking its share to 284.75 tmc ft, partly for Bengaluru's drinking water. The amount Karnataka must ensure for Tamil Nadu was cut from 192 to 177.25 tmc ft. Chief Justice Dipak Misra said no state can claim ownership of the river The News Minute. Karnataka must follow a monthly release schedule, measured at Biligundlu on the border Deccan Herald. Karnataka says there is no agreed rule for cutting it in a bad year. Siddaramaiah said in 2023: "So far, there is no distress formula" National Herald.
How it started: a failed monsoon and the August orders
On 14 August 2023 Tamil Nadu asked the Supreme Court to make Karnataka release 24,000 cusecs, and to ensure 36.76 TMC for September as the award required. Karnataka opposed this, citing low rainfall LiveLaw. On 25 August the court declined to pass interim orders and asked the CWMA for a report The News Minute.
On 28 August the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) told Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs a day for 15 days. Karnataka had offered 3,000. In an affidavit it said Tamil Nadu's demand wrongly assumed a normal year The News Minute.
On 14 September Karnataka declared 195 taluks drought-hit, 161 of them severely. The government order said June rain was 56% below normal and August's deficit of about 73% was the lowest in 125 years. Taluks in Mandya, Mysuru and Kodagu, the Cauvery belt, were among the worst hit The News Minute.
The Supreme Court declines to step in
The CWMA upheld a CWRC order for 5,000 cusecs a day for 15 days from 13 September PTI via Deccan Herald. On 21 September a bench of Justices BR Gavai, PS Narasimha and Prashant Kumar Mishra refused to interfere. It said the expert bodies had considered the shortfall and were reviewing the position every 15 days LiveLaw.
Mukul Rohatgi, for Tamil Nadu, said the bodies had accepted it was eligible for 7,200 cusecs. Shyam Divan, for Karnataka, said the order was against its interest but was being complied with LiveLaw.
There are rival claims, Tamil Nadu is saying they need 7200 cusecs, Karnataka is saying they can only give 2000 cusecs. We are not inclined to interfere.
Justice BR Gavai, Supreme Court, 21 September 2023 (LiveLaw)
On 22 September the state Cabinet decided to comply and to push ahead with the Mekedatu reservoir. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said about 3,000 to 3,500 cusecs was already flowing South First.
Timeline of the protests
Protests spread
Farmers and Kannada groups protested in Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagara, Ramanagara and Bengaluru. Karnataka Rakshana Vedike's Praveen Shetty and others were detained after blocking a highway at KR Puram. A Mandya bandh was called for 23 September PTI via Tribune. The BJP held a protest at Mysuru Bank Circle on 23 September with Basavaraj Bommai IANS via Siasat.
Bengaluru bandh
The Karnataka Jala Samrakshana Samiti, led by Kuruburu Shanthakumar, called a 6 am to 6 pm shutdown. Section 144 was in force. Police said no bandh had permission and deployed about 100 platoons. Shanthakumar and other leaders were detained at Mysuru Bank Circle. Schools and colleges were closed and the response was partial PTI via Tribune. Police said more than 1,000 agitators were taken into preventive custody by 6 pm South First.
New order: 3,000 cusecs
The CWRC directed Karnataka to release 3,000 cusecs from 28 September to 15 October. The state said it would challenge this Scroll.
BJP and JD(S) protest together
The two parties, which had announced a Lok Sabha alliance the week before, protested at the Gandhi statue at Vidhana Soudha PTI via Deccan Herald.
Tamil actor's event disrupted
Pro-Kannada activists entered a Bengaluru press meet where Tamil actor Siddharth was promoting a film, and he left The News Minute. Next day Kannada actor Shivarajkumar apologised: "On behalf of the Kannada film industry, we are very sorry, Siddharth" South First.
Karnataka bandh
Kannada Okkuta, led by Vatal Nagaraj, called a statewide shutdown. Nagaraj was detained at Town Hall Deccan Herald. Farmers held a rail roko in Mandya and protesters burned portraits of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin in Chitradurga Scroll. Kannada film actors held a dharna at the Film Chamber The Quint.
What the bandhs shut down
The 26 September bandh in Bengaluru was uneven. Buses and the metro ran with fewer passengers, many IT firms told staff to work from home, and markets in the central business district stayed shut South First. Kannada Okkuta did not back it PTI via Tribune.
The 29 September bandh had wider effect:
- Flights: 44 cancelled at Kempegowda International Airport, 22 arrivals and 22 departures, an airport official told PTI PTI via Deccan Herald Scroll.
- Schools: Shut in Bengaluru Urban, Mandya, Mysuru, Chamarajanagara, Ramanagara and Hassan, where Section 144 was imposed Scroll.
- Buses: KSRTC ran 59.88% of services in the south. Only 7 of 447 scheduled buses ran in Mysuru and 8 of 247 in Chamarajanagar PTI via Deccan Herald. In Bengaluru 3,587 of 5,602 BMTC buses ran, according to sources quoted by Deccan Herald Deccan Herald.
- Support: Over 1,900 associations backed it, according to NDTV Scroll; The Quint put the figure at nearly 2,000 The Quint.
Detention figures
The counts for 29 September differ by time of day and source. They were preventive detentions, and no deaths or serious violence were reported in the sources reviewed.
- By the morning, Police Commissioner B Dayananda said "We have made over 150 preventive detentions" for violating Section 144 Deccan Herald.
- 12 people were detained at the airport arrival gate, a senior officer told PTI PTI via Deccan Herald.
- Over 200 were detained across Bengaluru, The Indian Express reported Scroll.
- A total of 785 were detained as a preventive measure, Bengaluru police said The Quint.
Karnataka's case and Tamil Nadu's case
Karnataka's case
Karnataka said it could not spare water after a failed monsoon, given its own need for drinking water and for standing crops in the Cauvery basin PTI via Deccan Herald. In court Divan argued "Karnataka doesn't even get the benefit of the North East Monsoons" LiveLaw. Siddaramaiah said distress should be shared by a formula, and that a Mekedatu reservoir of 67 tmc could store water to give Tamil Nadu in such years National Herald.
Tamil Nadu's case
Tamil Nadu said it was owed releases under the 2018 judgment. "It is a distress year for everyone. I'm a lower agrarian state," its counsel Rohatgi told the court LiveLaw. Claim · Tamil Nadu government Stalin told the Assembly only 46.1 tmcft reached Biligundlu from 1 June to 3 October, against 123.06 tmcft due by September, and accused Karnataka of creating an "artificial crisis" Deccan Herald. Farmer leaders said about 2 lakh acres of kuruvai paddy had withered South First.
The Siddaramaiah government's stance on the bandhs
Government's position On 25 September Siddaramaiah said "in a democracy, we (government) will not curtail protests" but accused the BJP and JD(S) of doing politics. Shivakumar said protest was everyone's right but that bandh calls "may have legal repercussions" PTI via Deccan Herald.
On 26 September Siddaramaiah said the bandh was neither in the interest of the state nor the people, cited a court direction against causing trouble to others, and said this was why Section 144 was imposed. Of the 29 September bandh he said: "We will not obstruct the protest" National Herald. On 29 September Shivakumar called the bandh peaceful and said: "We requested the institutions not to call for a bandh since there is no consent from the Supreme Court or High Court" Scroll.
Protest leaders saw it differently. Shanthakumar said "The Congress government is pleasing their alliance party in Tamil Nadu by releasing water" South First, and farmer leaders accused the government of using police to curtail the bandh PTI via Tribune.
The BJP and JD(S) positions
Both parties supported the bandhs PTI via Tribune. At their joint protest, BS Yediyurappa said Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar "are behaving like DMK agents" because of the Congress's alliance with the DMK PTI via Deccan Herald. BJP MP Tejasvi Surya said the government "has failed to present its case properly". JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy demanded the release of those detained on 29 September The Quint.
Siddaramaiah replied that Karnataka's 25 BJP MPs should press Prime Minister Modi instead, and that former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda's letter to Modi on the issue was welcome but his charge of state failure was politics National Herald.
Tamil Nadu's response and counter-protests
A mock funeral of Siddaramaiah was held in Tamil Nadu as Karnataka protesters staged one for Stalin South First. On 9 October the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a resolution urging the Centre to direct Karnataka to release water. The AIADMK backed it and the BJP walked out, saying it should cover nationalisation of rivers South First. Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan ruled out talks, saying they would amount to "surrendering the rights" of the state Deccan Herald.
On 11 October the Cauvery Delta Protection Movement held a dawn-to-dusk bandh in eight delta districts, backed by the DMK and its allies. Nearly two lakh shops and businesses closed, about 10,000 farmers marched in Thanjavur, and police arrested farmers' leader PS Masilamani South First. Claim · DMK farmers' wing AKS Vijayan said Karnataka had called strikes despite having 80% storage Madhyamam.
The Mekedatu angle
Karnataka proposes a balancing reservoir at Mekedatu, near the border, mainly for Bengaluru's drinking water. Tamil Nadu's DMK government opposed it as a breach of the Cauvery settlement The News Minute. Karnataka argues it would help both states in distress years National Herald.
On 13 November 2025 a bench led by Chief Justice BR Gavai called Tamil Nadu's challenge "premature", because the Central Water Commission (CWC) would consider the project report only after the CWMA and CWRC approved it LiveLaw Scroll. On 29 July 2026 the CWC returned Karnataka's revised report of April 2026. It flagged a rise in consumptive use to 6.95 tmcft and said Karnataka's Bengaluru drinking water estimates contradicted the Supreme Court's figures Deccan Herald.
Outcome
- Detentions: 1,000+ on 26 Sept and 785 on 29 Sept, per police; all preventive.
- Deaths or serious violence: None reported in the sources reviewed.
- Flights: 44 cancelled on 29 Sept.
- Water orders: 5,000 cusecs upheld by the Supreme Court on 21 Sept; 3,000 cusecs ordered from 28 Sept to 15 Oct.
- Politics: First joint BJP and JD(S) protest; Tamil Nadu Assembly resolution on 9 Oct.
- Counter-protest: Tamil Nadu delta bandh on 11 Oct.
Where the dispute stood in 2026
DK Shivakumar succeeded Siddaramaiah as Chief Minister on 3 June 2026 South First. A weak monsoon brought the dispute back. On 11 August 2026 the CWMA ordered Karnataka to ensure 12,000 cusecs a day for 15 days from 12 August. Karnataka said inflows to its four reservoirs were 47% below the 30-year average. Tamil Nadu replied that the rain deficit was far worse downstream News Arena.
Vatal Nagaraj called another Karnataka bandh, held on 13 August Deccan Herald. It drew a mixed response: Bengaluru, Mysuru and the airport were largely unaffected, Mandya saw intense protests, and several groups withdrew support. Nagaraj was taken into preventive custody at home DT Next.
On 17 August 2026 the Supreme Court told Karnataka to comply. Tamil Nadu said it had received 14 TMC against 64 TMC due; Karnataka cited "extremely severe distress" The News Minute. On 25 August the CWMA ordered 9,000 cusecs for 15 days. On 22 September 2026 the court refused a society's plea to reallocate 70 TMC to Karnataka, saying the dispute was between the two states PTI via The Pioneer. A distress-sharing formula still had not been fixed.
Questions people ask
Why was there a Karnataka bandh on 29 September 2023?
Kannada Okkuta called it against orders to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu in a drought year, after the Supreme Court refused to interfere on 21 September. 44 flights were cancelled and police reported 785 preventive detentions.
Who called the Bengaluru bandh on 26 September 2023?
The Karnataka Jala Samrakshana Samiti, a group of farmers' associations led by Kuruburu Shanthakumar, backed by the BJP and JD(S). The response was partial, and police said more than 1,000 people were taken into preventive custody.
What did the Supreme Court say on the Cauvery in September 2023?
On 21 September 2023 it refused to interfere with the CWMA order for 5,000 cusecs a day, saying expert bodies had considered the drought and were reviewing every 15 days.
Did the Karnataka government support the bandhs?
No. Siddaramaiah said it would not curtail protests but called the Bengaluru bandh not in the state's interest. Section 144 was imposed and organisers were detained.
What is the Mekedatu project?
A reservoir Karnataka proposes on the Cauvery near the Tamil Nadu border, mainly for Bengaluru's drinking water. Tamil Nadu opposes it. The Supreme Court called Tamil Nadu's challenge premature in November 2025, and the CWC returned Karnataka's report for revision in July 2026.
Is the Cauvery dispute resolved?
No. In August 2026 the CWMA again ordered releases, Vatal Nagaraj called another bandh, and the Supreme Court told Karnataka to comply. There is still no agreed formula for sharing water in drought years.
Sources
- The News Minute: Cauvery verdict: TN's allocation reduced to 177.25 tmc ft, K'taka gets 14.75 tmc ft more, 16 Feb 2018
- The News Minute: Karnataka ordered to release 5,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, Aug 2023
- The News Minute: 195 taluks in Karnataka declared drought hit, Sept 2023
- LiveLaw: Supreme Court refuses to interfere with CWRC order directing Karnataka to release 5000 cusecs, 21 Sept 2023
- South First: Karnataka to comply with SC order on Cauvery; will push ahead with Mekedatu, 23 Sept 2023
- PTI via Tribune: Protests spread over Cauvery issue in Karnataka, 22 Sept 2023
- IANS via Siasat: Protest in Karnataka districts opposing release of water to TN, 23 Sept 2023
- PTI via Deccan Herald: Govt will not try to curtail protests, bandh over Cauvery issue, says Siddaramaiah, 25 Sept 2023
- PTI via Tribune: Bandh in Bengaluru against Cauvery water release to TN evokes partial response, 26 Sept 2023
- South First: Bengaluru bandh over Cauvery dispute sees mixed response, 26 Sept 2023
- South First: Bengaluru bandh largely uneventful: over 1,000 agitators taken into preventive custody, 27 Sept 2023
- National Herald: B'luru bandh not in interest of state, says Siddaramaiah, 26 Sept 2023
- PTI via Deccan Herald: BJP, JD(S) jointly stage protest against Cong govt, 27 Sept 2023
- The News Minute: Actor Siddharth's Bengaluru press meet disrupted by pro-Kannada activists, 28 Sept 2023
- South First: We are very sorry: Shiva Rajkumar apologises to Siddharth, 29 Sept 2023
- Scroll: Karnataka: 44 flights cancelled, schools and colleges shut due to bandh over Cauvery dispute, 29 Sept 2023
- PTI via Deccan Herald: Karnataka bandh: passengers face harrowing time due to cancellation of flights, 29 Sept 2023
- Deccan Herald: Karnataka bandh successful, claims Vatal Nagaraj; police say situation peaceful, 29 Sept 2023
- The Quint: Karnataka bandh peaceful, say cops; Siddaramaiah meets experts, 29 Sept 2023
- South First: Tamil Nadu passes resolution seeking Union government direction to Karnataka, 9 Oct 2023
- Deccan Herald: TN Assembly asks Centre to direct Karnataka to release Cauvery water, 9 Oct 2023
- Madhyamam: TN farmers to hold bandh on Oct 11, Oct 2023
- South First: Tamil Nadu Cauvery delta districts observe total shutdown, 11 Oct 2023
- LiveLaw: Supreme Court rejects Tamil Nadu's plea against Mekedatu dam proposal as premature, 13 Nov 2025
- Scroll: SC rejects Tamil Nadu's plea against proposed Mekadatu dam, 13 Nov 2025
- South First: Shivakumar sworn in as Karnataka Chief Minister, 3 June 2026
- Deccan Herald: Mekedatu row: CWC returns Karnataka's DPR, flags major deviations, 30 July 2026
- News Arena: CWMA orders Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs water to TN, 11 Aug 2026
- Deccan Herald: Activist Vatal Nagaraj detained ahead of rally; Bengaluru largely unaffected by Karnataka bandh, 13 Aug 2026
- DT Next: Karnataka bandh against Cauvery water release to TN evokes mixed response, Aug 2026
- The News Minute: SC directs Karnataka to comply with CWMA order, seeks release status, 17 Aug 2026
- PTI via The Pioneer: SC refuses to entertain fresh plea on Cauvery water allocation, 22 Sept 2026