Inter-State River Water Disputes Bill Lapses Post Dissolution of 17th Lok Sabha

The Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2019, intended to revamp dispute resolution mechanisms for inter-state rivers, has lapsed following the dissolution of the 17th Lok Sabha. Originally passed by Lok Sabha and pending in Rajya Sabha, the bill proposed forming a Disputes Resolution Committee to handle such conflicts.

The pending Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which targeted improving mechanisms for adjudicating inter-state river disputes, has lapsed following the dissolution of the 17th Lok Sabha. The bill, introduced in Lok Sabha on July 25, 2019, by then Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, had moved forward from Lok Sabha but remained pending in Rajya Sabha.

Initially, the bill aimed to revise the existing Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956. Under the original act, states could request the central government to refer water disputes to a tribunal for adjudication. The proposed 2019 bill sought to create a Disputes Resolution Committee (DRC) instead, for a more amicable dispute resolution process. Comprising experts with at least 15 years of relevant experience and members from each involved state, the DRC represented a significant change.

In contrast, bills pending solely in Rajya Sabha do not lapse. The recent dissolution led to the lapse of both the said bill and other private member bills, such as those addressing the uniform age of marriage, highlighting the impact of legislative procedural nuances on significant policy decisions.

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