Home The Constitution Part XI Article 262

Art. 262 Part XI: Relations Between the Union and the States

Adjudication of Disputes Relating to Waters of Inter-State Rivers or River Valleys

Exact text — Constitution of India

(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).

In Plain English

What this Article actually means

This Article gives Parliament power to set up special Tribunals for adjudicating disputes between states over shared river waters — a recurring and often politically fraught issue given India's many interstate rivers — and, notably, clause (2) lets Parliament exclude even the Supreme Court's ordinary jurisdiction over such disputes once a specific law under this Article applies.

Why This Matters To You

How it shows up in everyday life

This is the constitutional basis behind India's various interstate water dispute Tribunals (like those addressing Cauvery, Krishna, and other shared river systems) — disputes that significantly affect millions of farmers and residents in the affected states, often playing out over years or decades of Tribunal proceedings.

Read alongside this one

Art. 263 — Inter-State Council

Frequently Asked

Quick answers about Article 262

Can I, as an ordinary citizen affected by a water dispute, approach the Supreme Court directly?

Once a specific Tribunal law under this Article applies to a particular inter-state river dispute, ordinary court jurisdiction (including the Supreme Court's) can be excluded for that specific dispute — though the exact scope of this exclusion has been narrowed and clarified through various court rulings over time.

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The text above reproduces Article 262 of the Constitution of India as amended to date, for general educational reference. It is public-domain legislative text, but we recommend cross-checking the authoritative version at legislative.gov.in or india.gov.in before relying on it for a legal matter. The explanation, examples and FAQs are general information, not legal advice — consult a qualified advocate for guidance on your specific situation.