The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday (March 25, 2025) permitted DMK leader T.R. Baalu to take over as the petitioner in a long-standing legal challenge against agreements that allegedly ceded Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka. Baalu replaces former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, who originally filed the petition before his passing in 2018.
A three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, heard initial arguments from senior advocate P. Wilson, who contended that the agreements signed in 1974 and 1976, along with related communications, were unconstitutional and void. The court has scheduled the final hearing for September 15, 2025.
Karunanidhi’s petition argued that the ceding of Katchatheevu violated constitutional provisions and ignored India’s federal structure. He sought protection for Tamil Nadu fishermen’s traditional rights, including fishing, resting on the island, drying nets, and participating in religious activities at Saint Antony’s Church. He also urged the Centre to compensate Tamil Nadu fishermen for losses caused by alleged Sri Lankan naval actions.
The Indian government, in a 2013 response to a separate petition by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, maintained that no Indian territory was ceded, as Katchatheevu was a disputed area that had never been demarcated. The Centre assured that Indian fishermen and pilgrims could access the island without visas but clarified that this did not include fishing rights.
Located in the Palk Strait, Katchatheevu is an uninhabited island with no economic wealth but is a vital fishing ground for Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu. The case remains a politically sensitive issue, particularly concerning the safety and livelihood of Indian fishermen operating in the surrounding waters.
