The government's delay in forming the Cauvery Board is "sheer contempt of court", the Supreme Court said today. The court asked the water resources secretary to be present at the next hearing, which will be held on May 14 -- well after the Karnataka assembly elections.


On May 3, the court had asked the Centre to file an affidavit, detailing what steps it was taking to form the authority or a scheme that will implement the court's formula of water division between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.


Yesterday, the Centre had asked for 10 more days to complete the task.