NEW DELHI: The Top court on Thursday ordered Karnataka to release at least 2 tmc of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu with warning that "serious consequences" will face if it fails to release the water.

The Supreme Court of India posted Tamil Nadu’s petition for framing of scheme for release of Cauvery water as per ruling for hearing on Tuesday. It also ordered Centre to file an affidavit by Tuesday asserting the steps taken to frame the scheme.

Attorney general K K Venugopal stated the court that the scheme has to be approved by the Cabinet which could not meet because of absence of PM, as coming from foreign visit PM gone to Karnataka for election campaign.

AG urged the court to postpone the hearing on this issue to after May 12, as there is a Karnataka assembly election.

While TN counsel Shekhar Naphade accused Centre of playing politics over Cauvery water and said such poor attitude towards TN would amount to end of federalism in the nation as well as law.

Counsel also said that apart from the summer temperature, the temperature over Cauvery water is increasing in TN.

The Top court, in its ruling, had asked the Centre to plan a scheme to ensure compliance of its 465-page verdict on the decades-long Cauvery dispute.