#THE INTER-STATE RIVER WATER DISPUTES ACT, 1956 
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##ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 
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SECTIONS 

1. Short title and extent. 
2. Definitions. 
3. Complaints by State Governments as to water disputes. 
4. Constitution of Tribunal. 
5. Adjudication of water disputes. 
5A. Filling of vacancies. 
6. Publication of decision of Tribunal. 
6A. Power to make schemes to implement decision of Tribunal. 
7. Prohibition of levy of seigniorage, etc. 
8. Bar of reference of certain disputes to Tribunal. 
9. Powers of Tribunal. 
9A. maintenance of date bank and information. 
10. Allowances or fees for presiding officer of Tribunal and assessors. 
11. Bar of jurisdiction of Supreme Court and other courts. 
12. Dissolution of Tribunal. 
13. Power to make rules. 
14. Constitution of Ravi and Beas Waters Tribunal. 



#THE INTER-STATE RIVER WATER DISPUTES ACT, 1956 

##ACT NO. 33 OF 1956

[28th August, 1956.] 

An Act to provide for the adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter-State rivers and river 
valleys. 

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Seventh Year of the Republic of India as follows:— 

1. **Short title and extent.**—(1) This Act may be called the Inter-State River Water Disputes  Act, 1956. 

(2) It extends to the whole of India. 

2. **Definitions.**—In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,— 

  (a) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act; 

  (b) “Tribunal” means a Water Disputes Tribunal constituted under section 4; 

  (c) “water dispute” means any dispute or difference between two or more State Governments with 
respect to— 

     (i) the use, distribution or control of the waters of, or in, any inter-State river or river valley; 
or 

     (ii) the interpretation of the terms of any agreement relating to the use, distribution or control 
of such waters or the implementation of such agreement; or 

     (iii) the levy of any water rate in contravention of the prohibition contained in section 7. 

3. **Complaints by State Governments as to water disputes.**—If it appears to  the  Government  of 
any  State  that  a  water  dispute  with  the  Government  of  another  State  has  arisen  or  is  likely  to  arise  by 
reason of the fact that the interests of the State, or of any of the inhabitants thereof, in the waters of an 
inter-State river or river valley have been, or are likely to be, affected prejudicially by— 

  (a) any executive action or legislation taken or passed, or proposed to be taken or passed, by the 
other State; or 

  (b) the  failure  of  the  other  State  or  any  authority  therein  to  exercise  any  of  their  powers  with 
respect to the use, distribution or control of such waters; or 

  (c) the  failure  of  the  other  State  to  implement  the  terms  of  any  agreement  relating  to  the  use, 
distribution or control of such waters, 

the  State  Government  may,  in  such  form  and  manner  as  may  be  prescribed,  request  the  Central 
Government to refer the water dispute to a Tribunal for adjudication. 

4. **Constitution of Tribunal.**—(1) When  any  request  under  section  3  is  received  from  any  State 
Government  in  respect  of  any  water  dispute  and  the  Central  Government  is  of  opinion  that  the  water 
dispute  cannot  be  settled  by  negotiations,  the  Central  Government  shall,  within a  period  not  exceeding 
one  year  from  the  date  of  receipt  of  such  request,  by  notification  in  the  Official  Gazette,  constitute  a 
Water Disputes Tribunal for the adjudication of the water dispute: 

  Provided  that  any  dispute  settled  by  a  Tribunal  before  the  commencement  of  the  Inter-State  Water 
Disputes (Amendment) Act, 2002 (14 of 2000) shall not be re-opened.

(2) The Tribunal shall consist of a Chairman and two other members nominated in this behalf by the 
Chief Justice of India from among persons who at the time of such nomination are Judges of the Supreme 
Court or of a High Court.

(3) The Central Government may, in consultation with the Tribunal, appoint two or more persons as 
assessors to advise the Tribual in the proceedings before it.

5. **Adjudication of water disputes**—(1) When a Tribunal has been constituted under section 4, the 
Central Government shall, subject to the prohibition contained in section 8, refer the water disputes and 
any  matter  appearing  to  be  connected  with,  or  relevant  to,  the  water  dispute  to  the  Tribunal  for 
adjudication. 

(2) The Tribunal shall investigate the matters referred to it and forward to the Central Government a 
report  setting  out  the  facts  as  found  by  it  and  giving  its  decision  on  the  mattes  referred  to  it  within  a 
period of three years: 

  Provided that if the decision cannot be given for unavoidable reasons, within a period of three years, 
the Central Government may extend the period for a further period not exceeding two years. 

(3) If,upon  consideration  of  the  decision  of  the  Tribunal,  the  Central  Government  or  any  State 
Government is of opinion that anything therein contained requires explanation or that guidance is needed 
upon any point not originally referred to the Tribunal, the Central Government or the State Government, 
as  the  case  may  be,  within  three  months  from  the  date  of  the  decision,  again  refer  the  matter  to  the 
Tribunal  for  further  consideration,  and  on  such  reference,  the  Tribunal  may  forward  to  the  Central 
Government a further report within one year from the date of such reference giving such explanation or 
guidance as it deems fit and in such a case, the decision of the Tribunal shall be deemed to be modified 
accordingly: 

  Provided that the period of one year within which the Tribunal may forward its report to the Central 
Government  may  be  extended  by  the  Central  Government,  for  such  further  period  as  it  considers 
necessary.

(4) If  the  members  of  the  Tribunal  differ  in  opinion  on  any  point,  the  point  shall  be  decided 
according to the opinion of the majority.

5A. **Filling of vacancies.**—If, for any reason a vacancy (other than a temporary absence) occurs in 
the office of the Chairman or any other member of a Tribunal, such vacancy shall be filled by a person to 
be nominated in this behalf by the Chief Justice of India in accordance with the provisions of sub-section 
(2)  of  section  4,  and  the  investigation  of  the  matter  referred  to  the  Tribunal  may  be  continued  by  the 
Tribunal after the vacancy is filed and from the stage at which the vacancy occurred.

6. **Publication of decision of Tribunal.**— (1) The Central Government shall publish the decision 
of  the Tribunal in  the  Official  Gazette  and the decision  shall  be  final  and binding  on  the  parties to the 
dispute and shall be given effect to by them. 

(2)  The  decision  of  the  Tribunal,  after  its  publication  in  the  Official  Gazette  by  the  Central 
Government under sub-section (1), shall have the same force as an order or decree of the Supreme Court.

6A. **Power to make schemes to implement decision of Tribunal.**—(1) Without prejudice to the 
provisions  of  section  6,  the  Central  Government  may,  be  notification  in  the  Official  Gazette,  frame  a 
scheme  or  schemes  whereby  provision  may  be  made  for  all  matters  necessary  to  give  effect  to  the 
decision of a Tribunal. 

(2) A scheme framed under sub-section (1) may provide for— 

  (a) the  establishment  of  any  authority  (whether  described  as  such  or  as  a  committee  or  other 
body) for the implementation of the decision or directions of the Tribunal; 

  (b) the  composition,  jurisdiction,  powers  and  functions  of  the  authority,  the  term  of  office  and 
other conditions of service of, the procedure to be followed by, and the manner of filling vacancies 
among, the members of the authority; 

  (ba) requisitioning of any data, as may be required by it.

  (c) the holding of a minimum under of meetings of the authority every year, the quorum for such 
meetings and the procedure thereat; 

  (d) the appointment of any standing ad hoc or other committees by the authority; 

  (e) the employment of a Secretary and other staff by the authority, the pay and allowances and 
other conditions of service of such staff; 

  (f) the constitution of a fund by the authority, the amounts that may be credited to such fund and 
the expenses to which the fund may be applied; 

  (g) the form and the manner in which accounts shall be kept by the authority; 

  (h) the submission of an annual report by the authority of its activities; 

  (i) the decisions of the authority which shall be subject to review; 

  (j) the constitution of a committee for making such review and the procedure to be followed by 
such committee; and 

  (k) any  other  matter  which  may  be  necessary  or  proper  for  the  effective  implementation  of  the 
decision or directions of the Tribunal. 

(3) In  making  provision  in  any  scheme  framed  under  sub-section  (1)  for  the  establishment  of  an 
authority for giving effect to the decision of a Tribunal, the Central Government may, having regard to 
the nature of the jurisdiction, powers and functions required to be vested in such authority in accordance 
with  such  decision  and  all  other  relevant  circumstances,  declare  in  the  said  scheme  that  such  authority 
shall, under the name specified in the said schemes have capacity to acquire, hold and dispose of property, 
enter into contracts, sue and be sued and do all such acts as may be necessary for the proper exercise and 
discharge of its jurisdiction, powers and functions. 

(4) A  scheme  may  empower  the  authority  to  make,  with  the  previous  approval  of  the  Central 
Government, regulations for giving effect to the purposes of the scheme. 

(5) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, add to, amend, or vary, any 
scheme framed under sub-section (1). 

(6) Every Scheme framed under this section shall have effect not withstand anything contained in any 
law for the time being in force (other than this Act) or any instrument having effect by virtue of any law 
other than this Act. 

(7) Every scheme and every regulation made under a scheme shall be laid, as soon as may be after it 
is made, before each House of Parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which 
may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the 
session  immediately  following  the  session  or  the  successive  sessions  aforesaid,  both  Houses  agree  in 
making  any  modification  in  the  scheme  or  the  regulation  or  both  houses  agree  that  the  scheme  or  the 
regulation  should  not  be  made,  the  scheme  or  the  regulation  shall  thereafter  have  effect  only  in  such 
modified  form  or  be  of  no  effect,  as  the  case  may  be;  so,  however,  that  any  such  modification  or 
annulment  shall  be  without  prejudice  to  the  validity  of  anything  previously  done  under  that  scheme  or 
regulation.

7. **Prohibition of levy of seigniorage, etc.**—(1)  No State  Government  shall,  by  reason only  of  the 
fact that any works for the conservation, regulation or utilisation of water resources of an inter-State river 
have  been  constructed  within  the  limits  of  the  State,  impose,  or  authorise  the  imposition  of,  any 
seigniorage or additional rate or fee (by whatever name called) in respect of the use of such water by any 
other State or the inhabitants thereof. 

(2) Any dispute or difference between two or more State Governments with respect to the levy of any 
water rate in contravention of the prohibition contained in sub-section (1) shall be deemed to be a water 
dispute. 

8. **Bar of reference of certain disputes to Tribunal.**—Notwithstanding  anything  contained  in 
section 3 or section 5, no reference shall be made to a Tribunal of any dispute that may arise regarding 
any matter which may be referred to arbitration under the River Boards Act, 1956. 

9. **Powers of Tribunal.**—(1) The Tribunal shall have the same powers as are vested in a civil court 
under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908), in respect of the following matters, namely:— 

  (a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him on oath; 

  (b) requiring the discovery and production of documents and material objects; 

  (ba) requisitioning of any data, as may be required by it;

  (c) issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses or for local investigation; 

  (d) any other matter which may be prescribed. 

(2) The Tribunal  may  require any  State  Government to  carry  out,  or  permit  to be  carried out, such 
surveys  and  investigation  as  may  be  considered  necessary  for  the  adjudication  of  any  water  dispute 
pending before it. 

(3) A decision of the Tribunal may contain directions as to the Government by which the expenses of 
the Tribunal and any costs incurred by any State Government in appearing before the Tribunal are to be 
paid, and may fix the amount of any expenses or costs to be so paid, and so far as it relates to expense or 
costs, may be enforced as if it were an order made by the Supreme Court. 

(4) Subject to the provisions of this act and any rules that may be made there under, the Tribunal 
may, by order, regulate its practice and procedure. 

9A. **maintenance of date bank and information.**—(1) The Central Government shall  maintain a 
data  bank  and  information  system  at  the  national  level  for  each  river  basin  which  shall  include  data 
regarding water resources, land, agriculture, and matters relation thereto, as the Central Government may 
prescribe form time to time. The State Government shall supply the date to the Central Government or to 
an agency appointed by the Central Government for the purposes, as and when required. 

(2) The Central Government shall have powers to verify the data supplied by the State Government, 
and appoint any person or persons for the purpose and take such measures as it may consider necessary. 
The person or persons so appointed shall have the powers to summon such records and information from 
the  concerned  State  Government  as  are  considered  necessary  to  discharge  their  functions  under  this 
section.

10. **Allowances  or  fees  for  presiding  officer  of  Tribunal  and  assessors.**— The  Chairman  and 
other members of a Tribunal and the assessors shall be entitled to receive such remuneration, allowances 
or fees as may be prescribed. 

11. **Bar of jurisdiction of Supreme Court and other courts.**—Notwithstanding anything contained 
in  any  other  law,  neither  the  Supreme  Court  nor  any  other  Court  shall  have  or  exercise  jurisdiction  in 
respect of any water dispute which may be referred to a Tribunal under this Act. 

12. **Dissolution of Tribunal.**—The  Central  Government  shall  dissolve  the  Tribunal  after  it  has 
forwarded its report and as soon as the Central Government is satisfied that no further reference to the 
Tribunal in the matter would be necessary. 

13. **Power to make rules.**—(1)  The  Central  Government,  after  consultation  with  the  State 
Governments, may,  by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules to carry out the purposes of this 
Act. 

(2) In  particular,  and  without  prejudice  to  the  generally  of  the  foregoing  power,  such  rules  may 
provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:— 

  (a) the form and manner in which complaint as to any water dispute may be made by any State 
Government; 

  (b) the matters in respect of which a Tribunal may be vested with the powers of a Civil Court; 

  (c) the procedure to be followed by a Tribunal under this Act; 

  (d) the  remuneration,  allowances  or  fees  payable  to the Chairman and other members of  a 
Tribunal and assessors; 

  (e) the terms and conditions of service of officers and assessors of the Tribunal;

  (f) any other matter which has to be, or may be, prescribed. 

(3) Every rule made under this section shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before each 
House of Parliament while it is in session for a total period of thirty days, which may be comprised in 
one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately 
following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid both Houses agree in making any modification 
in the rule of both Houses agree that the rule should not be made, the rule shall thereafter have effect only 
in the modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be, so, however, that any such modification or 
annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule.

14. **Constitution of Ravi and Beas Waters Tribunal.**—(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in 
in  the  foregoing  provisions  of  this  Act,  the  Central  Government  may,  by  notification  in  the  Official 
Gazette, a constitute a Tribunal under this Act, to be known as the Ravi and Beas Waters Tribunal for the 
verification  and  adjudication  of  the  matters  referred  to  in  paragraphs  9.1  and  9.2,  respectively,  of  the 
Punjab Settlement. 

(2) When a Tribunal has been constituted under sub-section (1), the provisions of sub-sections (2) and (3) 
of section 4, sub-sections (2), (3) and (4) of section 5 and sections 5A to 13 (both inclusive ) of this 
Act relating to the constitution, jurisdiction, powers, authority and bar or jurisdiction shall, so far as may 
be, but subject to sub-section (3) hereof, apply to the constitution, jurisdiction, powers, authority and bar 
of jurisdiction in relation to the Tribunal constituted under sub-section (1). 

(3) When a Tribunal has been constituted under sub-section (1), the Central Government alone may 
suo motu or at the request of the concerned State Government refer the mattes specified in paragraphs 9.1 
and 9.2 of the Punjab Settlement to such Tribunal. 

*Explanation.*—For  the  purposes of this section, “Punjab Settlement” means the Memorandum  of 
Settlement signed at New Delhi on the 24th day of July, 1985.