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THE CONSTITUTION, MADE UNDERSTANDABLE

Article 262
Adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter-State rivers or river valleys

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26 Parts12 Schedules506 indexed article entries, including historical omissions
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Source edition: as on 1 May 2026. Omitted and struck-down reference entries remain labelled. Open the authoritative PDF ↗

Article 262 / Part XI

Adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter-State rivers or river valleys

included in edition
THE PLAIN-LANGUAGE GUIDE

What does this mean?

Parliament can provide for adjudicating disputes over inter-State river waters and can exclude court jurisdiction to the stated extent. The applicable river-disputes legislation determines the operative mechanism.

Who can make laws and how Union and State executive responsibilities interact.

PURPOSE & CONTEXT

Why is this provision here?

A river crossing State boundaries can create disputes requiring a specially authorised adjudication arrangement.

Historical evidence

This Article number belongs to the original constitutional framework, but its present wording may include later amendments or substitutions. A provision-specific original Assembly debate has not been verified here. The explanation of function above is editorial inference from the text, not an attributed single motive of the framers. The original draft-making archive is a research resource, not proof of a particular historical reason.

The explanation of purpose is an editorial reading of the provision. A drafting motive is attributed only where a linked historical source supports it.

Limits, exceptions & reading carefully

Educational summary of the linked source text. Exceptions, provisos, implementing laws and applicable judgments must be read before applying it to a real case.

Read the official constitutional text
262. Adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter-State rivers or river valleys.—(1) Parliament may by law provide for the adjudication of any dispute or complaint with respect to the use, distribution or control of the waters of, or in, any inter-State river or river valley. (2) Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, Parliament may by law provide that neither the Supreme Court nor any other court shall exercise jurisdiction in respect of any such dispute or complaint as is referred to in clause (1). Co-ordination between States

Extracted from the Legislative Department’s May 2026 edition. Page footnotes may refer to neighbouring provisions; check their markers in the PDF. Inclusion in this edition does not by itself establish commencement or judicial effect.