Article 262 — Adjudication of Disputes Relating to Waters of Inter-State Rivers

(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).

Source: Constitution of India, as published by the Ministry of Law and Justice.

Water disputes between Indian states are among the most politically charged and long-running federalism conflicts. Article 262 underpins the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act 1956. Tribunals such as the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (set up 1990, final award 2007, modified on review 2018) and the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal have dragged on for decades. The exclusion of Supreme Court jurisdiction under clause (2) has been partly circumvented by petitions framed as constitutional disputes rather than water disputes.

• Article 1
• Article 131

Last reviewed: 3 July 2026