Adjudication of disputes relating to waters of interState rivers or river valleys
Quick Summary (TL;DR)
Article 262 (Adjudication of disputes relating to waters of interState rivers or river valleys): Governs federal legislative and administrative division of powers between the Union and States under Part XI.
In Simple Citizen Words
Article 262 ('Adjudication of disputes relating to waters of interState rivers or river valleys') in Part XI (Relations between the Union and the States) structures Indian federalism. It governs territorial and subject-matter jurisdiction under the Union, State, and Concurrent Lists of the Seventh Schedule, GST concurrent powers (Art 246A), residuary powers (Art 248), inconsistency/repugnancy rules (Art 254), inter-state river water disputes (Art 262), or the Inter-State Council (Art 263). Specifically: (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...
Key Constitutional Provisions
Constitutional Mandate (Art. 262): Directly codifies the legal rule for 'Adjudication of disputes relating to waters of interState rivers or river valleys' under Part XI
Structured across 3 clause(s) with clear procedural conditions
Backed by independent judicial oversight of the Supreme Court to protect constitutional legality
Exceptions & Reasonable Restrictions
Federalism is part of the Basic Structure of the Constitution (S.R. Bommai v. Union of India, 1994); neither the Union nor the States can usurp the exclusive legislative domain assigned to the other.
Why This Matters in Daily Life
Clarifies which government (Central or State) is responsible and accountable for every law, tax, and public service affecting your life.
Want deeper legal & historical context? Explore the official Bare Act or Supreme Court Precedents & CAD Debates: