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Punjab revives old disputes over sharing river waters
ଖବରରେ କାହିଁକି?
Parliament can bar even the Supreme Court from river disputes: the Article 262 rule GS2 tests
Punjab reopens inter-State river-water disputes governed by Article 262.
Why it matters: factual, Prelims-type
What you need to know
2 ମିନିଟ
Punjab is reopening long-running disputes over how the waters of the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej are shared with neighbouring States.
Article 262 lets Parliament provide by law for adjudicating inter-State river disputes, and the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 is the statute made under it.
The same article lets Parliament bar the Supreme Court and other courts from deciding such disputes.
ଉତ୍ସ: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
ମୁଖ୍ୟ ତଥ୍ୟ
Remember these
- Article 262 lets Parliament provide by law for adjudicating disputes over waters of inter-State rivers or river valleys.
- The Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 is the statute made under Article 262.
- Article 262 also lets Parliament bar the Supreme Court and other courts from deciding such disputes.
- The rivers in the Punjab dispute are the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej; neighbouring States include Haryana and Rajasthan.
- Water is a State subject (Entry 17, List II), but regulation of inter-State rivers is a Union matter (Entry 56, List I).
ପ୍ରିଲିମ୍ସ · ମେନ୍ସ
How the exam will ask it
ପ୍ରିଲିମ୍ସ
- Article 262 empowers Parliament, not the President or the Inter-State Council, to provide for adjudication of inter-State river water disputes.
- Under Article 262, Parliament may by law exclude the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and other courts in such disputes.
- The Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 was enacted under Article 262 of the Constitution.
- Article 131 (original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court) and Article 262 are distinct provisions.
ମେନ୍ସ
GS2: Centre-State relations. Water is a State subject, yet Article 262 and the 1956 Act let Parliament create tribunals and even oust court jurisdiction, so Punjab's reopening of Ravi-Beas-Sutlej sharing tests cooperative federalism. Prolonged tribunal delays and political stances harden positions; the way forward lies in a standing, time-bound tribunal, reliable basin-wide data and negotiated settlements through the Inter-State Council or river-basin bodies.
Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
Which provision of the Constitution allows Parliament to provide by law for the adjudication of disputes relating to the waters of inter-State rivers or river valleys?
- Article 131
- Article 262
- Article 263
- Article 280
ଉତ୍ତର ଦେଖନ୍ତୁ
ଉତ୍ତର: B — Correct: Article 262 — Article 262 empowers Parliament to legislate for adjudication of inter-State river water disputes and to bar court jurisdiction. • Article 131 — wrong: Article 131 gives the Supreme Court original jurisdiction in Centre-State disputes, not river-water adjudication. • Article 263 — wrong: Article 263 provides for an Inter-State Council to inquire into and advise on disputes, not to adjudicate river waters. • Article 280 — wrong: Article 280 constitutes the Finance Commission and has nothing to do with river waters.
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