**Executive Summary**
This document presents the Ministry of Jal Shakti's response to Unstarred Question No. 2181 concerning water-sharing disputes between Maharashtra and Karnataka, answered on February 12, 2026. It outlines the government's stance on intervening in water disputes, referencing the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, and detailing the adjudication processes by the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal–II (KWDT-II) and the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT). Key deadlines mentioned relate to extensions of the Tribunals' terms.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Legal Framework:**
* The Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, provides the framework for adjudicating disputes related to inter-state rivers and river valleys.
* The Central Government constitutes a River Water Dispute Tribunal if a water dispute cannot be settled by negotiations.
* **Krishna River Dispute:**
* The Central Government constituted the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II on April 2, 2004, in respect of the Krishna River dispute.
* KWDT-II submitted its report and decision on November 29, 2013, recommending water allocation among Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.
* Due to a stay order by the Supreme Court issued on September 16, 2011, the award could not be published in the Official Gazette and the matter remains sub-judice.
* The Tribunal's tenure has been extended yearly due to ongoing adjudication concerning the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, with the most recent extension being for one year, effective August 1, 2025, as per Gazette Notification No. 3221(E) dated July 10, 2025.
* **Mahadayi River Dispute:**
* The Central Government constituted the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal on November 16, 2010, in respect of the Mahadayi River dispute.
* The MWDT submitted its report and decision on August 14, 2018, to the Central Government.
* All three party States, along with the Central Government, filed references to MWDT for further clarification under Section 5(3) of the Act.
* The contesting states have approached the Supreme Court with Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) against the Tribunal's Report-cum-Award dated August 14, 2018.
* The Central Government published the MWDT Report-cum-Award dated August 14, 2018, in the Gazette of India on February 27, 2020, as per Section 6 of the Act, following the Supreme Court's order.
* MWDT has adjourned proceedings on pending references due to the matter being sub-judice before the Supreme Court.
* The Tribunal's term has been extended for another year, effective August 16, 2025, as per Gazette Notification No. S.O. 3628(E) dated August 5, 2025.
**Impact Analysis**
**Maharashtra and Karnataka**
* **Impact:** Their water-sharing arrangements remain disputed and subject to adjudication by the Tribunals and potential rulings by the Supreme Court.
* **Action Required:** Continue to participate in the Tribunal proceedings and comply with any directives issued by the Tribunals or the Supreme Court. File references to the Tribunal and prepare for possible further legal proceedings.
**Central Government**
* **Impact:** Responsible for constituting and managing the River Water Dispute Tribunals. Must comply with court orders regarding publication of reports and awards.
* **Action Required:** Continue to oversee the functioning of the Tribunals, publish relevant reports and awards as directed by the Supreme Court, and facilitate any further proceedings required under the Act.
**Andhra Pradesh and Goa**
* **Impact:** As basin states, Andhra Pradesh is impacted by the Krishna River dispute and Goa is impacted by the Mahadayi River Dispute.
* **Action Required:** Continue to participate in the Tribunal proceedings and comply with any directives issued by the Tribunals or the Supreme Court. File references to the Tribunal and prepare for possible further legal proceedings.
Key Entities Referenced
Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956: The central law providing the framework for adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter-state rivers and river valleys.
Maharashtra: One of the states involved in the water-sharing disputes.
Karnataka: One of the states involved in the water-sharing disputes.
Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT): A tribunal constituted to adjudicate the water dispute related to the Mahadayi River between Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka.
Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal–II: A tribunal constituted to adjudicate the water dispute related to the Krishna River between Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI
DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2181
ANSWERED ON 12.02.2026
WATER-SHARING DISPUTES BETWEEN MAHARASHTRA AND KARNATAKA
2181. SHRI ANIL YESHWANT DESAI:
Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Union Government is aware of the long-pending water dispute between Maharashtra and
Karnataka and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government is planning to intervene in the ongoing water-sharing disputes between
Maharashtra and Karnataka to ensure equitable distribution and prevent further conflicts, if so, the details
thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
(c) whether the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT) would expedite its proceedings to resolve
water-sharing issues between Maharashtra and Karnataka in view of the recent rise in disputes, if so, the
details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI
(SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY)
(a) to (c) For adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter-state rivers and river valley thereof, the
Parliament has enacted the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 (hereinafter referred to as the Act).
When any request under the act is received from any Sate Government in respect of any water dispute on
the inter-State rivers, and the Central Government is of the opinion that the water dispute cannot be settled
by negotiations, the Central Government constitutes a River Water Dispute Tribunal for the adjudication of
the said water dispute.
In so far as inter-State water disputes involving the States of Maharashtra and Karnataka are concerned,
the Central Government constituted the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal–II on 02.04.2004 in respect of
Krishana River dispute and the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal on 16.11.2010 in respect of Mahadayi
River dispute. These Tribunals are adjudicating inter-State water disputes in which Maharashtra and
Karnataka are party States, along with other basin States, in accordance with their respective terms of
reference
The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal–II (KWDT-II) has submitted its report and decision under
Section 5(3) of the Act on 29.11.2013, recommending allocating of water amongst the States of Andhra
1Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka. However, on account of stay by Supreme Court vide its order dated
16.09.2011, the award could not be published in the Official Gazette in terms of Section 6(1) of the Act, and
the matter continues to remain sub-judice before the Hon’ble Supreme Court.
Subsequently, in view of the fact that the adjudication by KWDT-II on the terms of reference specified
in section 89 of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, was still going on, the tenure of the Tribunal had
been extended, every time by one more year. Presently, the term of the Tribunal has been extended for a
further period of one-year w.e.f. 01.08.2025 vide Gazette Notification No. 3221(E) dt. 10.07.2025.
The Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT) has submitted its report and decision under Section
5(2) of the Act to Central Government on 14.8.2018. Thereafter, under Section 5(3) of the Act, all three-
party States as well as Central Government have filed various references to MWDT for further clarification.
Meanwhile, three contesting states, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa have also approached the Hon’ble
Supreme Court of India by way of filing separate Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) against the Report-cum-
Award of the Tribunal dated 14.8.2018. In this matter, as per Hon’ble Supreme Court order dated 20.2.2020,
the Central Government has published MWDT Report-cum-Award dated 14.8.2018 in the Gazette of India
on 27.2.2020, which is an action as per the provision of section 6 of the Act.
Taking into consideration the fact that the matters are sub-judice before the Hon’ble Supreme Court,
and the joint request made by the learned Senior Counsels for the party States, and also keeping in view the
demands of propriety, the MWDT has adjourned the proceedings in respect of the pending references under
section 5(3) of the Act as it may amount to continuing with the parallel proceedings. The matter is sub-
judice. Accordingly, the term of Tribunal has been extended for a further period of one-year w.e.f.
16.08.2025 vide Gazette Notification No. S.O. 3628(E) dated 05.08.2025.
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