RAVI & BEAS WATERS TRIBUNAL – ISRWD ACT, 1956

CURRENT CONTEXT : The central government has extended the deadline for the Ravi & Beas Waters Tribunal, constituted under the Inter-State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956, by one year—now due by 5 August 2026—after nearly 39 years without resolution over water-sharing disputes among Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.

 ABOUT ISRWD ACT, 1956:

• Enacted under Article 262 of the Constitution to resolve water disputes between states.
• Once a tribunal is appointed, the Supreme Court and other courts cannot intervene in the matter.
• Aims to provide a binding, time-bound mechanism for resolving conflicts over shared river waters.

 Ravi–Beas Tribunal Details:

• Constituted in April 1986 under the Punjab Settlement (Rajiv–Longowal Accord).
• Submitted its initial report in January 1987, recommending 5 MAF (Punjab) and 3.83 MAF (Haryana); revisions are still pending due to state feedback.
• Future outcomes will impact the stalled SYL canal issue.