Karnataka Too Gets Border Minister Like Maharashtra: Why Only These 2 States In India Need The Post

Last Updated:July 01, 2025, 13:56 IST

Karnataka Too Gets Border Minister Like Maharashtra: Here's why Maharashtra and Karnataka are the only two states in the country to have border ministers

The Maharashtra-Karnataka dispute started in 1957 when the states were reorganised on linguistic lines. (News18 File)

The Karnataka government has appointed Law Minister HK Patil as the new border in-charge minister to oversee inter-state boundary and river disputes, mainly with Maharashtra.

According to a government order issued on June 30, the appointment aims to ensure continuous legal and political oversight of Karnataka’s sensitive border and river issues. The government emphasised the need for a dedicated minister to monitor such disputes closely, assess them from all angles, and facilitate timely intervention and resolution.

In Maharashtra, Chandrakant Dada Patil and Shambhuraje Desai are the nodal ministers on the core coordination committee of the high-powered panel formed to look into the boundary dispute with Karnataka. They are tasked with handling matters related to the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES), a pro-Marathi outfit based in Karnataka.

The 18-member committee, headed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, includes Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, former CMs Sharad Pawar, Prithviraj Chavan, and Narayan Rane, and border affairs expert Prof Avinash Kolhe.

Maharashtra and Karnataka have become the only two states in the country to have border ministers.

What is the Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute?

The dispute started in 1957 when the states were reorganised on linguistic lines. Maharashtra objected to the inclusion of 865 villages, including Belagavi, into Karnataka. The villages are spread across Belagavi and the north-western and north-eastern regions of Karnataka – all bordering Maharashtra.

The dispute led to the formation of the MES, which has a single agenda — inclusion of Belgavi in Maharashtra.

In 2004, Maharashtra approached the Supreme Court challenging the State Reorganisation Act. Using Article 3 of the Indian Constitution, Karnataka asserted that only Parliament can decide the borders of states, and not the Supreme Court.

What is the role of a border minister?

Although not defined in the Constitution, the role of a border minister could broadly inaugurate:

• Collaborate with the state’s legal team in the Supreme Court or other tribunals.
• Regular dialogue with groups like MES (in Maharashtra) or Belagavi-based organisations.
• Visit disputed border villages, hear grievances, allocate relief, and ensure basic civic services in areas like education and health.
• Coordinate between state and central government, possibly interfacing with the Union Home Ministry or organising CM-level meetings.
• Supervise high-powered inter-party panels or expert committees tasked with resolving disputes. Essentially, they act as the politico administrative face of the state’s border policy—overseeing legal, civic, and media dimensions of the dispute.

Were there any recent Maharashtra-Karnataka border flare-ups?

2007: Karnataka started building the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha (Legislative Assembly) in Belagavi to assert its control over the region in 2007. The building was inaugurated in 2012. Since then the MES has organised protests called ‘Maha Melava’ outside the venue to press for the unification of Belagavi with Maharashtra.

2021: Kannada activists blackened the face of an MES activist for organising an event demanding the merger of Belagavi with Maharashtra, during the Belagavi session.

December 1, 2022: A student who danced with the Kannada flag was beaten up during a cultural programme in Belagavi’s Gogate College, which created tension. Pro-Kannada organisations staged a roadblock on the highway in Belagavi, set fire to tyres and shouted slogans against Maharashtra.

December 6, 2024: State transport buses from Kolhapur were stopped from plying into disputed border areas like Belagavi and Nipani.

How do other states handle their border disputes?

States such as Assam-Arunachal Pradesh that have border disputes use joint committees chaired by regular cabinet ministers.

Manjiri Joshi

At the news desk for 17 years, the story of her life has revolved around finding pun, facts while reporting, on radio, heading a daily newspaper desk, teaching mass media students to now editing special copies ...Read More

At the news desk for 17 years, the story of her life has revolved around finding pun, facts while reporting, on radio, heading a daily newspaper desk, teaching mass media students to now editing special copies ...

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News explainers Karnataka Too Gets Border Minister Like Maharashtra: Why Only These 2 States In India Need The Post