Amid the ongoing claims over Himachal Pradesh’s rightful share in assets and resources, former Chief Ministers Prem Kumar Dhumal and Shanta Kumar have described the latest Supreme Court verdict on the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) dispute as the outcome of a decades-long struggle involving successive governments and political leaders. They maintained that the achievement should not be attributed to any single individual or government but recognised as the result of collective efforts to secure the state’s legitimate rights.
Welcoming the Supreme Court’s November 6, 2026, decision, Dhumal said it reaffirmed the historic September 27, 2011, judgment and would enable Himachal Pradesh to receive 11,973 million units of electricity over 20 years towards settlement of its outstanding dues.
Dhumal recalled that after the 2011 verdict, the state had calculated outstanding dues of approximately ₹4,300 crore but the amount remained unpaid, forcing Himachal Pradesh to approach the Supreme Court again for implementation of the judgment. He credited the sustained legal efforts of successive BJP governments and the cooperation of the Central Government for the latest outcome.
Shanta Kumar, meanwhile, reminded Himachal’s struggle for its rightful share began in 1977, when he first became Chief Minister. He recalled meeting then Prime Minister Morarji Desai and raising the state’s claims under the Punjab Reorganisation Act. Following discussions with the Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana, Himachal Pradesh was granted 15 MW of electricity from Bhakra on an interim basis.
He also highlighted his efforts to establish the principle of water royalty during his tenure, saying then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao accepted the state’s demand despite initial opposition that such a provision did not exist elsewhere in the country. The decision, he said, created a lasting source of revenue for Himachal Pradesh.
Both leaders stressed that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who pursued the latest matter before the Supreme Court, should also acknowledge the contributions of previous governments rather than claim sole credit for the achievement.
Dhumal advised the present government to pursue other pending claims, particularly the Shanan Hydroelectric Project, whose 1924 agreement completed 100 years in 2024, along with other assets and properties that Himachal Pradesh claims as its rightful share.
BJP veterans said the BBMB verdict should be seen as a collective victory for the people of Himachal Pradesh and a milestone in the state’s prolonged struggle for its financial and energy rights.
