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Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2019
Why in news
- Lok Sabha passed the Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2019.
- The Bill proposes constituting a single tribunal with different benchesto handle inter-State water disputes.
More in news
- Why the need for New Tribunals
(1) Failure of existing tribunals to resolve river disputes.
(2) Despite amendments to Inter-state River Water Disputes Act1956 which provided resolving of the dispute with 5 years, there is long delay in awarding final verdict by the tribunals.
(3) Only four of the nine water tribunals could submit their report after a delay of 7 to 28 years.
(4) Irregular sittings of tribunals were one of the reasons for delayed orders.
- Provisions of the New Bill
(1) Final award to be delivered in two years.
(2) The Bill encompasses water scenarios of the future.
(3) A retired Supreme Court judge will head the tribunal.
(4) Regionals benches will be formed as and when required.
(5) Once the orders were passed by the regional benches they seize to exist.
- Why the opposition
(1) Tribunals are referred to as being toothlessas their awards were not respected by the States
(2) No provisions for consultation with the states.
About Tribunals
- Part XIV A of the Constitutionentitled as Tribunals was added by 42nd Amendment Act 1976.
- This part consists of two Articles 323 A and 323 B
- Art 323 A
(1)It empowers the parliament for setting up of Administrative tribunals for adjudication of disputes relating to service matters.
- Art 323 B
(1) Parliament and the state legislature are authorised to provide for the establishment of tribunals for adjudicating disputes relating to taxation, foreign exchange, industrial labour, land reform and etc.
Source
The Hindu