Archive · 22 Aug 2026
Southern Zonal Council Opens Path Toward Interstate Federal Agreements
Leaders from southern Indian states met in Mahabalipuram to discuss problems between states and the central government.
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana agreed to keep working with the Home Ministry on dividing their shared assets and responsibilities.
The leaders largely agreed that southern states should keep about the same share of seats in the Lok Sabha.
They differed on how future elections should decide the number of seats.
Water sharing was more difficult, especially over the Mekedatu and Mullaperiyar dams.
Karnataka supported Mekedatu, while Tamil Nadu has opposed it unless certain conditions are met.
Kerala also raised concerns about Mullaperiyar.
Amit Shah said states should protect their interests but also cooperate so water is not wasted and regional tensions do not grow.
The 31st Southern Zonal Council meeting in Mahabalipuram advanced talks on interstate and federal issues.
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana agreed to resolve asset and liability division matters with the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Southern states broadly supported retaining their current share of Lok Sabha representation during delimitation.
River-water disputes, including Mekedatu and Mullaperiyar, remained divisive among the participating states.
Amit Shah promoted greater Centre-state cooperation and river-linking to address water and transport needs.
- Who
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah, chief ministers and representatives from southern states and Union territories.
- What
- The 31st Southern Zonal Council meeting discussed interstate disputes, delimitation, federal funds, water sharing, and the division of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana assets and liabilities.
- When
- At the 31st meeting of the Southern Zonal Council; no specific date is stated.
- Where
- Mahabalipuram, India.
- Why
- To negotiate interstate and Centre-state issues and strengthen federal cooperation.
State Interests and Existing Safeguards
Central Coordination and Shared Development
Parliamentary delimitation
State Interests and Existing Safeguards
Karnataka and Kerala supported using the 1971 Census and maintaining the existing 543 Lok Sabha seats for 25 years; Tamil Nadu sought an explicit legislative assurance that southern states would retain their current percentage of representation.
Central Coordination and Shared Development
The meeting broadly supported preserving the southern states’ existing proportion of representation, while the Central government position emphasized continued negotiation on the issue.
Mekedatu dam
State Interests and Existing Safeguards
Karnataka argued that the project would benefit its farmers as well as farmers in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
Central Coordination and Shared Development
Tamil Nadu sought assurances that the project would not receive statutory or administrative approval unless it complied with the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal’s 2007 award and the Supreme Court’s 2018 judgment.
Water management
State Interests and Existing Safeguards
States raised concerns about protecting their regional water interests, including Kerala’s opposition to the Mullaperiyar dam arrangements involving Tamil Nadu.
Central Coordination and Shared Development
Amit Shah argued that state interests should not leave water unused and supported linking rivers to improve water availability and create transport routes.
- Meeting
- 31st meeting of the Southern Zonal Council
- Location
- Mahabalipuram
- Asset division
- Andhra Pradesh and Telangana agreed to address asset and liability issues in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Delimitation
- Participants discussed retaining the southern states’ current proportion of Lok Sabha representation.
- Lok Sabha seats
- Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar proposed using the 1971 Census and retaining 543 seats for the next 25 years.
- Water disputes
- The Mekedatu and Mullaperiyar dam issues remained points of disagreement.
- River linking
- Amit Shah said linking major rivers could help prevent water shortages and create waterways for transport.