Inter-State River Water Disputes

Choose the Correct Answer

Correct Answer : Option c

Explanation
The Ravi and Beas Waters Tribunal, established in 1986, India’s oldest water tribunal, has received yet another extension after 39 years of unresolved disputes.

Statement 1 is not correct: Under Section 6 of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, a tribunal’s award becomes binding on the disputing parties once published in the Official Gazette. However, it is not entirely immune to judicial scrutiny. Although Article 262(2) and the Act limit court jurisdiction, states have approached the Supreme Court under Article 131 (original jurisdiction) and Article 136 (special leave petition). For example, in the Cauvery dispute, the Supreme Court modified the tribunal’s award in 2018. Thus, while the law intends to make awards final and binding, judicial review can still occur in practice.

Statement 2 is not correct: The original 1956 Act did not set a time limit for the tribunal to deliver its decision. A 2002 amendment introduced a provision requiring the tribunal to submit its report within three years, extendable by two more years, but it did not mandate a one-year deadline. In practice, tribunals often take much longer; for instance, the Cauvery Tribunal took 17 years to issue its final award.

Statement 3 is correct: Article 262(2) explicitly empowers Parliament to bar the jurisdiction of courts in disputes concerning inter-state rivers. The 1956 Act implements this by providing tribunals as the primary adjudication mechanism, minimizing ordinary courts’ involvement.