New Delhi: Supreme Court judge Justice Bela M Trivedi has been appointed chairperson of the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal.

The appointment follows the resignation of Justice AM Khanwilkar, creating a vacancy in the tribunal tasked with resolving disputes related to the Mahanadi river, according to a gazette notification.

The Chief Justice of India nominated Justice Trivedi for the position under Section 5A of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act.

The Centre formalised the appointment through an amendment to the original 2018 notification constituting the tribunal under the Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.

Justice Trivedi’s appointment is expected to expedite deliberations on the long-standing Mahanadi water dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

The tribunal was initially formed to address disagreements over the allocation of the river’s water — a critical resource for irrigation, drinking, and industrial purposes.