Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Secretariat--Bills (English)

© GOVERNMENT OF TAMIL NADU 2026

[Regd. No. TN/CCN/467/2012-14.

[R. Dis. No. 197/2009.

[Price: Rs. 16.00 Paise.

No. 32] CHENNAI, SATURDAY, JANUARY 24, 2026 Thai 10, Visuvaavasu, Thiruvalluvar Aandu-2057

Part IV—Section 1

Tamil Nadu Bills

CONTENTS

Pages.

BILLS:BILLS:

No. 6 of 2026 — The Tamil Nadu Water Resources (Regulation, Management and

Augmentaion) Act, 2026. .. .. .. .. 78-104 No. 7 of 2026 — The Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Amendment) Act, 2026. .. .. 105-106 No. 8 of 2026 — The Tamil Nadu Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 107-108 No. 9 of 2026 — The Tamil Nadu Prevention of Begging (Amendment) Act, 2026. .. 109-112 No. 10 of 2026 — The Tamil Nadu Schools (Regulation of Collection of Fee) Amendment Act, 2026. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 113-116 IV-1 Ex. (32)

[77]78 TAMIL NADU GOVERNMENT GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY

BILLS INTRODUCED IN THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

OF THE STATE OF TAMIL NADU

Under Rule 130 of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Rules, the

following Bill which was introduced in the Legislative Assembly of the

State of Tamil Nadu on 24th January, 2026 is published together with

Statement of Objects and Reasons for general information:-

L.A.Bill No. 6 of 2026

A Bill to provide for regulation, management and

augmentation of water resources through participatory

governance, to achieve equity, efficiency and sustainability

in the use of water resources in the State of Tamil Nadu

and to establish an institutional framework for the purpose

and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Tamil Nadu in the Seventy-sixth Year of the Republic of India as follows:—

PART - I.

CHAPTER - I.

PRELIMINARY.

Short title, extent and

commencement.

1. (1) This Act may be called the Tamil Nadu Water Resources (Regulation, Management and Augmentation) Act, 2026.

(2) It extends to the whole of the State of

Tamil Nadu.

(3) It shall come into force on such date as the

Government may, by notification, appoint.

Definitions. 2. (1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—

(a) "abstraction" means the process of extraction or

drawal of water from well or from any water resources;

(b) "adjudicating officer" means the officer appointed

under sub-section (1) of section 31;

(c) "appellate authority" means the authority notified

under sub-section (1) of section 19;

(d) "appellate officer" means the officer notified under

sub-section (1) of section 32;

(e) "appropriate quality" means quality of water which is in compliance with all applicable standards that are binding under any law in force at the time;

(f) "aquifer" means a geological formation, group of formations or part of a formation that is sufficiently porous and permeable to yield a significant quantity of water to a well or spring;

(g) "authorisation" refers to any approval, clearance, licence, no objection certificate, permission or exemption, by whatever name called, granted under this Act;

(h) "Authority" means the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Management Authority established under sub-section (1) of section 5;

(i) "basin" means a geographical area determined by the watershed limit of a system of waters, which flow into the ocean or sea either directly or through another State, or into a natural lake or depression with no outlet;

(j) "commercial water user" means any person or entity, including but not limited to industries, infrastructure providers and mining operations that abstracts, draws, transport or transfer bulk water or utilises water for business or trade to generate revenue or profit;

(k) "Committee" means the District Water Resources

Committee constituted under sub- section (1) of section 12;

(l) "domestic purpose" means the drawal or abstraction of water for residential purposes such as drinking, cooking, bathing, washing, sanitary or rearing domestic livestock, but not for any commercial purpose;

(m) "essential principles" refers to the essential

principles set out in section 3;

(n) "floodplain" means the lowlands and relatively flat areas including the water channels, adjoining a river or any other water body, that are subject to flooding from that river or water body at specified times and frequencies;

(o) "floodplain Zone" means the area notified under

section 23;

(p) "Government" means the State Government;

(q) "groundwater" means water occurring in its natural state where it exists below the surface in the zone of saturation, such that it can be extracted through wells or by any other means or which emerges as springs and base flows in streams and rivers;

(r) "groundwater Protection Zone" means the area

notified under section 21;

(s) "Implementing Authority" means the officer or

authority designated under sub-section (1) of section 14;

Central Act 6

of 1974.

(t) "pollution" shall have the same meaning assigned to it in clause (e) of section 2 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974;

(u) "precautionary principle" refers to an approach that advocates the adoption of anticipatory, preventive or mitigating cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, irrespective of the lack of full scientific certainty regarding such threats;

(v) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made

under this Act;

(w) "preventive action" refers to action taken to preclude injury to, or adverse effects on persons, property, the environment or the ecological system;

(x) "rainwater harvesting" means the technique or system of collection and storage of rainwater, at the micro- watershed scale, including roof-top harvesting for future use or for the recharge of groundwater;

(y) "recharge" means natural or artificial

replenishment of groundwater;

(z) "river" means a natural water course arising naturally to carry excess rainwater from its catchment to water bodies such as oceans, lakes and seas;

(za) "river basin" means the area drained by a river and its tributaries including associated aquifers, such that all the precipitation or runoff that occurs within such area, except for evaporation, eventually finds its way to a river, its tributaries or associate aquifers;

(zb) "river Conservation Zone" means the area notified

under section 24;

(zc) "sink" with all its grammatical variations and cognate expressions in relation to an existing well or new well includes digging, drilling or boring of new well and deepening of the existing well, for abstraction of groundwater;

(zd) "spring" means a natural point where groundwater emerges and flows out onto the surface of the earth, driven by underground pressure;

(ze) "State" means the State of Tamil Nadu;

(zf) "sub-basin" means the catchment area of the

tributary of a river;

(zg) "surface water" means and includes all natural and artificial inland water such as rivers, watercourses, lakes, floodplains, wetlands, inlets, canals, pools, ponds and reservoirs existing within the territory of the State;

(zh) "sustainability", in the context of the availability and use of water, means using water in a way that meets current ecological, social, and economic needs without compromising the ability to meet those needs in the future;

(zi) "transfer of bulk water" refers to the transfer of raw or treated potable water in bulk through vehicles, open channels, pipelines or a combination of these from a source to an area lacking a local water source, whether for domestic, infrastructure or industrial use in rural or urban area, irrespective of the time frame for such transfer;

(zj) "treated wastewater" means water generated from

the treatment of sewage, sullage and effluents;

(zk) "water" means surface water and groundwater;

(zl) "water bodies" means all water storage and conveyance systems including ponds, tanks, lakes, rivers, reservoirs, canals, channels and streams either occurring naturally or created artificially;

(zm) "water budget" refers to the hydrological tool used to quantify the flow of water in and out of a system. It is an accounting of all water stored and exchanged on the land surface (rivers, lakes), subsurface (aquifer, groundwater) and atmosphere (precipitation, evaporation);

(zn) "water for life" means the basic quantity of water of appropriate quality required by each human being for drinking, cooking, bathing, sanitation, personal hygiene and related personal or domestic uses with an additional requirement for women for their special needs and includes water required for domestic livestock or for wildlife, where 'water for wildlife' refers to water required to prevent human-wildlife conflict arising in relation to water scarcity;

(zo) "water resources" refers to surface waters, groundwater, estuaries, aquifers, rivers, springs, natural channels in which water flows regularly or intermittently, wetlands, lakes, ponds or reservoirs into which or from which water flows and any other collection of water which the Government may, by notification, declare to be a water resource;

(zp) "water resources management" refers to the process of coordinated regulation and management of water, land and related resources to maximise economic and social welfare equitably without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems and the environment;

(zq) "water resources management plans" refers to the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Management Plan and the District Water Resources Management Plan published under sections 26 and 27, respectively;

(zr) "water resources project" refers to existing or proposed single or multi-purpose plans or systems in the areas of agriculture, drinking water, hydropower, flood prevention and management, sanitation, storage, water treatment or any other area of water use or management, whether owned or managed by a governmental or non-governmental entity;

(zs) "water security" means securing and safeguarding the sustainable access to adequate quantities of acceptable quality of water for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being and socio-economic development, for ensuring protection against water-borne pollution and water-related disasters and for preserving ecosystems;

(zt) "watershed" means the ridge or line of high land separating two areas such that rainwater falling on one side of the line drains on that side and cannot pass to the other side, and by extension, the area bounded by the ridge, generally used to denote a small local area bounded by low ridges, but sometimes also a large area bounded by high hills;

(zu) "water user" means any person or organisation who abstracts or draws or transports water for agriculture, horticulture, domestic, commercial or industrial purposes or any other purpose from any water resources whether chargeable or non-chargeable;

(zv) "well" means any structure sunk for the search or extraction of groundwater, including open wells, dug wells, bore wells, dug-cum-bore wells, tube wells, filter points, collector wells, infiltration galleries, recharge wells, disposal wells or any of their combinations or variations but does not include well sunk for scientific research purposes.

CHAPTER - II.

ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES OF WATER RESOURCES

MANAGEMENT.

Essential principles

of water resources

management.

3. (1) The water resources and other related resources of this State shall be regulated, managed and augmented in accordance with the following essential principles, namely:—

(a) water is a finite and vulnerable resource, essential

to sustain life, development and the environment;

(b) the regulation, management and augmentation of water resources shall be based on a participatory approach, involving water users, planners and policymakers, at all levels;

(c) water has an economic value in all its competing

uses and shall be recognised as an economic good;

(d) all water resources are common pool resources;

(e) the use of water resources shall be prioritised in the order of water for life, water for food security, water for sustainable livelihoods and water for ecosystem needs;

(f) water resource management shall be based on social equality, economic viability and ecological sustainability;

(g) the preventive action principle;

(h) the precautionary principle.

(2) The essential principles shall—

(a) guide the Authority, Committee and Implementing Authorities in the exercise of their powers and performance of their functions relating to water resources;

(b) form the basis for the formulation of all plans

relating to water resources management in the State;

(c) form the basis for all the decisions to grant or refuse to grant authorisations to activities that involve the abstraction or transportation or use of water resources or that otherwise have an impact on water resources or related ecosystems;

(d) play a role in determining whether tariff should be levied for the abstraction or use of water resources and if so, the quantum thereof;

(e) be reflected in making rules and regulations under

this Act;

(f) be applied to resolve grievances or disputes

relating to water resources.

Prohibition against

discrimination.

4. No person shall be denied access to, or the use of, water resources, on the grounds only of caste, religion, community, ethnicity, class, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, place of residence, or any of them.

CHAPTER – III.

INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE STATE

WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT.

Establishment of

the Tamil Nadu

Water Resources

Management 5. (1) The Government shall, by notification, establish an Authority, to be called the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Management Authority, to regulate, manage and augment the water resources in the State.

Authority.

(2) The Authority established under sub-section (1) shall be a body corporate having perpetual succession and a common seal and empowered to carry on all things necessary for the purposes of this Act.

(3) The Authority shall consist of the following

members, namely:—

(a) Chief Secretary to Government, who shall be

the Chairperson, ex-officio;

(b) Secretary to Government, in charge of

Finance, ex-officio;

(c) Secretary to Government, in charge of

Municipal Administration and Water Supply, ex-officio;

(d) Secretary to Government, in charge of

Agriculture and Farmer's Welfare, ex-officio;

(e) Secretary to Government, in charge of

Industries, Investment Promotion and Commerce, ex-officio;

(f) Secretary to Government, in charge of

Environment, Climate Change and Forests, ex-officio;

(g) Secretary to Government, in charge of Rural

Development and Panchayat Raj, ex-officio;

(h) Secretary to Government, in charge of Tourism, Culture and Religious Endowments Department, ex-officio;

(i) Secretary to Government, in charge of Water

Resources, who shall be the Member Secretary, ex-officio;

(j) three eminent experts in the field of water resources or related fields, to be nominated by the Government.

(4) The Authority may co-opt not more than three members as it may deem fit, in such manner and subject to such terms and conditions as may be prescribed.

(5) The Authority may invite such number of persons having expertise in the field of water resources management or persons of eminence or high repute as deemed fit, to attend any of the meetings of the Authority as special invitees. The special invitees shall take part in the discussion but shall not have the right to vote.

(6) The nominated members and special invitees to the meeting of the authority shall be paid such fees and allowances as may be prescribed.

Meetings of the

6. (1) The Authority shall meet at least once in six months

Authority.

at such time and place as appointed by the Chairperson.

(2) The Chairperson shall preside over the meetings of the Authority, and if, for any reason, the Chairperson is unable to attend a meeting of the Authority, any other member nominated by the Chairperson shall preside over the meeting.

(3) One-half of the total number of members of the Authority, including the Chairperson, shall constitute the quorum and all decisions of the Authority shall be taken by a majority of the members present and voting:

Provided that in the event of equality of votes, the Chairperson or in his absence, the member nominated under sub-section (2), shall have the casting vote.

(4) The Chairperson shall have the power of general superintendence, direction and control of the affairs of the Authority and without prejudice to any provisions of this Act, exercise and discharge such other powers and functions of the Authority as may be prescribed.

(5) All decisions of the Authority shall be signed by the

Chairperson or the Member Secretary.

(6) If the Chairperson or any member of the Authority has any direct or indirect financial or other interest in any matter coming up for consideration at a meeting of the Authority, they shall, as soon as possible after the relevant circumstances have come to their knowledge, disclose the nature of their interest upon such matter for consideration and such disclosure shall be recorded in writing and the Chairperson or member, as the case may be, shall not take part in any deliberation or decision of the Authority with respect to such matter.

Proceedings of the 7. No act or proceedings of the Authority shall be invalidated

Authority not to be merely by reason of, ––

invalidated.

(a) any vacancy or any defect, in the constitution of the

Authority;

(b) any defect in the appointment or nomination of a

member of the Authority; or

(c) any irregularity in the procedure adopted by the

Authority not affecting the merits of the case.

Terms and conditions 8. (1) The terms and conditions for the appointment of

of appointment the nominated members shall be such as may be prescribed.

of nominated (2) Any person who ceased to be a nominated member

members of the shall be eligible for re-nomination.

Authority.

(3) A nominated member may, at any time, by writing under his hand addressed to the Authority, resign from his office.

Removal from

membership of the

Authority.

9. If, at any point of time, it appears to the Government that a nominated or co-opted member has conducted himself in a manner unfit to hold office or has been guilty of misconduct or neglect, which in the opinion of the Government renders his removal from the membership of the Authority as expedient, the Government may, after giving such member, a reasonable opportunity to show cause, by an order, remove such member from the office.

Powers of the 10. The Authority shall, for the purposes of this Act, have

Authority.

the following powers, namely: —

(a) formulation of State Water Policy and revision

thereof;

(b) preparation of the State Water Resources

Management Plan and modifications thereof;

(c) determination and fixation of tariffs for various

classes of commercial water user;

(d) make appointment of officers, staff and consultants for the Authority as may be required from time to time to assist the Authority in the discharge of its functions;

(e) identification of authorities to be designated as the

Implementing Authorities in the State at various levels;

(f) defining the roles and responsibilities of

Implementing Authorities;

(g) assigning specific duties to the Implementing Authorities such as regulation, management and augmentation of the water resources, ensuring sustainable use, monitoring water quality and quantity and enforcing compliance with all applicable standards of water that are binding under any law in force;

(h) requiring any Implementing Authority to collect and submit such information in such form and manner as it may direct;

(i) requiring any Government department or any organisation to furnish such information as it may deem necessary to perform its functions and discharge its duties under this Act;

(j) supervising and monitoring the actions and proceedings of the Committees and Implementing Authorities;

(k) making regulations, prescribing functions of the Committees and the Implementing Authorities and the manner in which their functions shall be monitored;

(l) making recommendations to the Government regarding modifications to the State Water Resources Management Plan;

(m) supervision and control over its officers and staff;

(n) deciding any other matter which may be placed before the Authority by the Committees and Implementing Authorities;

(o) seeking any technical or administrative assistance from any departments or undertakings of the Government as it may require in the performance of its functions.

Duties and functions

of the Authority.

11. (1) The Authority shall co-ordinate, promote and regulate the adoption of water resources management practices in the State in accordance with the essential principles, with the overall objective of ensuring water security for all in compliance with the provisions of this Act. The Authority shall ensure—

(a) sustainable access to adequate quantity of

appropriate quality water for all;

(b) prevention of water pollution, discharge of untreated water into rivers, streams and water bodies and contamination of surface and groundwater;

(c) conservation, protection and preservation of the water resources, considering the environment, climate change and the challenges posed by climate change;

(d) preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity,

promoting a sustainable model of development;

(e) adaptation and mitigation measures against the

impact of climate change.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of sub-section

(1), the functions of the Authority shall include—

(a) to review the laws in force in the State, guidelines and systems in place regarding water resources regulation, management and augmentation by and between various Implementing Authorities and recommend to the Government necessary changes to make them compatible with this Act, remove overlapping of functions or jurisdictions, define clear roles and responsibilities including new responsibilities, to align institutional structure with the essential principles of water resources management;

(b) to review the current practices and standards of performance of Implementing Authorities and frame guidelines and performance indicators for them to achieve the requisite professional standards of water resources management in the State;

(c) to coordinate, facilitate and ensure capacity building of the Implementing Authorities in the areas of identified gaps with a focus on achieving effective water resources management;

(d) to promote, facilitate and enforce conjunctive use of surface water, groundwater and treated waste water, climate resilient, water resources infrastructure and to enhance operational excellence in the existing and proposed water resources infrastructure;

(e) to promote water supply augmentation through water conservation, rainwater harvesting and use of treated waste water on a large scale through the Implementing Authorities;

(f) to review the development needs of water resources

projects within the sub-basin or river basin;

(g) to monitor the implementation of the Tamil Nadu

Water Resources Management Plan.

(3) The Authority shall perform the following functions for implementation of the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Management Plan without prejudice to the functions under this section,—

(a) monitoring the preparation and implementation of District Water Resources Management Plans and maintaining a database of practices adopted or measures taken in pursuance of such plans;

(b) conducting information, education and communication activities, as well as capacity building programmes in relation to water resources management including creation of awareness and knowledge on water resources management at the district, block, municipal and village panchayat levels;

(c) consolidating and maintaining a database of information relating to sinking and creation of other groundwater abstraction sources;

(d) recommending water resources conservation measures including rainwater harvesting, watershed and catchment conservation, including groundwater conservation and recharge structures, as per the criteria specified in the water resources management plan for respective areas or locations;

(e) recommending incentives to switch from water-intensive crops to low water consuming crops and for adopting water conserving and energy-efficient technologies;

(f) demarcation and classification of Groundwater Protection Zones, Floodplain Zones and River Conservation Zones and laying down norms for activities within them in accordance with this Act;

(g) framing relevant guidelines and regulations for regulating, managing and augmenting water resources including water resource conservation;

(h) to promote technology, research and innovation in

water resources management;

(i) to prepare data base of all water resources and water users of the State in such manner as may be prescribed;

(j) ensure sustainable and equitable water availability by promoting climate resilient practices, integrating conservation, efficient use and adaptive infrastructure in all water resources planning and management;

(k) such other functions as may be prescribed.

District Water

Resources

Committee.

12. (1) The Government shall, by notification, constitute a District Water Resources Committee for each district, consisting of the following members, namely:—

(a) District Collector, who shall be the Chairperson,

ex-officio;

(b) an officer of the Water Resources Department, not below the rank of Executive Engineer or Deputy Director (Geology), who shall be the Member Secretary;

(c) an officer of the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, not below the rank of Executive Engineer or Assistant Director of Panchayats;

(d) an officer of any one of the urban local bodies in the district, not below the rank of Executive Engineer or Commissioner ;

(e) an officer of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control

Board, not below the rank of District Environmental Engineer;

(f) an officer of the Agriculture Department, not

below the rank of Joint Director;

(g) the General Manager, District Industries Centre;

(h) an officer of the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board in the district, not below the rank of Executive Engineer;

(i) an officer of the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited, not below the rank of Executive Engineer;

(j) the Assistant Director (Geology), Water

Resources Department;

(k) one representative to be nominated by the Chairperson from any one of the recognised social group or civil society organisation, including farmers' associations, water users' associations, women self-help groups or community based organisations working in the field of water conservation or community development in the district;

(l) one expert in the field of water resources to be

nominated by the Chairperson.

(2) The Committee shall meet at least once in three months

at such time and place as appointed by the Chairperson.

(3) Sections 6,7 ,8 and 9 shall, mutatis mutandis apply in relation to the Committees in so far as they are not inconsistent with the provisions of this section.

Functions of the

District Water

Resources

Committee.

13. (1) The primary functions of the District Water Resources Committee shall be to identify and address water- related challenges and to prepare, monitor and implement the District Water Security Plan, District Water Budgets and District Water Resources Management Plans in compliance with the State Water Resources Management Plan.

(2) The District Water Resources Committee shall

also perform the following other functions, namely:—

(a) to assist the Authority in discharge of its functions as may be necessary and to comply with the directions of the Authority;

(b) to guide and coordinate with the Implementing Authorities towards implementing the components of the plans and provisions of this Act;

(c) to facilitate inter-sectoral collaboration, promoting water resources management including conjunctive use, climate resilience and water use efficiency;

(d) to carry out water supply augmentation through conservation, recharge, rain water harvesting and use of treated waste water;

(e) to facilitate open data sharing, encourage

research and innovation and coordinate capacity building;

(f) to facilitate water sharing to rural and urban

local bodies having water scarcity;

(g) such other functions as may be prescribed.

Implementing

Authority.

14. (1) The Government shall, by notification, designate any officer or authority as Implementing Authority for such department or area or purpose as specified therein for implementing the provisions of this Act.

(2) The Implementing Authorities shall regulate, manage and augment the water resources in the State as directed by the Authority as per the provisions of this Act.

Duties and functions

15. The Implementing Authorities, in discharge of their

of the Implementing functions relating to water resources, shall—

Authorities.

(a) act in accordance with the essential principles of

water resources management laid down under this Act;

(b) act in accordance with the Water Resources

Management Plans;

(c) implement measures relating to water resources

management recommended by the Authority;

(d) enforce norms, protocols and standards governing water resources management, including permitted, prohibited and restricted activities relating to regulation, management and augmentation of water resources;

(e) collect tariff as determined and fixed by the

Authority;

(f) consult and coordinate with other Implementing Authorities, Committees as well as with the Authority, to effectively implement the provisions of this Act;

(g) make available or cause to make available in the public domain, all topographical, geological, meteorological, hydrological, sub-soil, land use and other water related data available with them, in such manner as may be prescribed;

(h) submit such data and reports to the Authority, from time to time, for demarcation of Groundwater Protection Zones, Floodplain Zones and River Conservation Zones;

(i) perform such other functions as may be prescribed.

Powers to enter, 16. (1) In carrying out their functions under this Act, the

inspect and seize, Implementing Authorities shall have the power to —

etc.

(a) enter upon any land or building and to inspect or take specimens from any well, soil, water resources or other materials;

(b) to seize and take possession of any equipment

utilised in contravention of the provisions of this Act;

(c) seal any well used for groundwater abstraction in

contravention of the provisions of this Act;

(d) close, prohibit or regulate any activity, operation or process being carried out in contravention of the provisions of this Act;

(e) take action to stop or regulate the supply of electricity, water or any other service for any activity, operation or process being carried out in contravention of the provisions of this Act.

(2) The Implementing Authorities shall take any action under this section only after giving prior notice to the water user concerned and reasonable opportunity of being heard.

CHAPTER - IV.

REGULATION, MANAGEMENT AND AUGMENTATION

OF WATER RESOURCES.

Regulation of

abstraction and

transportation of

water.

17. (1) No commercial water user shall on and from the date of commencement of this Act, abstract or transport water or carry on any activity incidental thereto without obtaining authorisation from the relevant Implementing Authority:

Provided that the commercial water users already abstracting or transporting water shall not continue to abstract or transport water without obtaining authorisation from the relevant Implementing Authority within six months from the date of commencement of this Act:

Provided further that any authorisation granted by the competent authorities for abstraction or transportation of water before the commencement of this Act, shall be deemed to be the authorisation granted under this Act and it shall be valid for the period specified in such authorisation.

(2) Every commercial water user for obtaining such authorisation, shall make an application to the relevant Implementing Authority directly, by post or online accompanied with such fee and such documents, as may be prescribed, as may be notified in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette.

(3) Subject to such inspection in the manner as may be prescribed and genuineness of documents accompanied with the application under sub-section (2), the authorisation shall be granted through post or online within such time and in such form and manner, as may be prescribed. The authorisation shall be subject to such terms and conditions, as may be prescribed:

Provided that in order to prevent decline in the water table or deterioration in water quality or other effects that may be detrimental to the continued availability of appropriate quality water, the Implementing Authorities may, at any time after the issue of authorisation, modify, amend or cancel the terms of authorisation, for reasons to be recorded, after affording an opportunity of being heard either permanently or for a specified period.

Provided further authorization for drawal of surface water up to 45 lakh litres per day shall be granted by District Collector and for higher quantites by the Government.

(4) Every application for renewal of the authorisation granted or deemed to be granted under this Act shall be made not less than three months before the date of the expiry of the period of such authorisation.

(5) The provisions of this Act shall, as far as may be, apply in relation to the renewal of the authorisation, as they apply in relation to the grant of authorisation under this section.

(6) The requirement of authorisation under this section

shall not apply to the following, namely:—

(a) residential houses or apartments or group houses, abstracting water for drinking and domestic purposes;

(b) agriculture and horticulture purposes;

(c) water supply schemes by the State and Central

Governments, urban and rural local bodies;

(d) State and Central Government educational

institutions or Hospitals or Infrastructures;

(e) private educational institutions and private hospitals abstracting water not more than such quantum as may be prescribed;

(f) Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises except packaged drinking water units, abstracting water not more than such quantum as may be prescribed;

(g) shops and establishments abstracting water not

more than such quantum as may be prescribed;

(h) charitable institutions, offices of the Central and State Government, administrative offices of the public sector undertakings, Armed Forces Establishment and Central Armed Police Force Establishment;

(i) any other category of water user abstracting water

not more than such quantum as may be prescribed.

Suspension or

cancellation of

authorisation.

18. (1) The Implementing Authority that has granted an authorisation under this Act may, of its own motion, or on application filed before it or referred to it, suspend or cancel such authorisation if it is satisfied that —

(a) it is necessary to suspend or cancel such authorisation to ensure the availability of water for life or to prevent danger to life, public health or irreversible harm to the ecosystem; or

(b) the person to whom the authorisation was granted has acted in contravention of the terms and conditions subject to which it was granted, or in contravention of the provisions of this Act.

(2) No authorisation shall be suspended or cancelled without giving the person concerned a reasonable opportunity of being heard.

Appeal against orders

under sections 17

and 18.

19. (1) Any person aggrieved by any order, decision or direction of the Implementing Authority made under sections 17 and 18, may within a period of one month from the date of receipt of such order, decision or direction, prefer an appeal in such form and in such manner as may be prescribed to the appellate authority as may be notified by the Government in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette.

(2) No such appeal shall be entertained after the

expiry of the period specified under sub-section (1):

Provided that the appellate authority may, at its discretion, allow further time not exceeding one month for preferring such appeal if it is satisfied that the appellant had sufficient cause for not preferring the appeal in time.

(3) The appellate authority may, pending the exercise

of its powers, pass such order as it deems fit.

(4) On receipt of any such appeal, the appellate

authority shall, after —

(i) giving the parties an opportunity of making

representation;

(ii) making, if necessary, such inquiry as it deems fit;

and

(iii) considering all the circumstances of the case, make such order as it deems just and equitable within a period of two months from the date of receipt of the appeal.

Tariff for abstraction of

water.

20. (1) The Authority shall, with the approval of the Government, fix and revise tariff, from time to time, for abstraction of water by commercial water user.

(2) The Authority shall be guided by such factors as may be prescribed for the determination of tariff fixed or revised under sub-section (1).

Groundwater

Protection Zones.

21. (1) The Authority shall make recommendations to the Government to demarcate and notify the Groundwater Protection Zones in the identified areas in the State, based on the report of the Implementing Authorities, from time to time.

(2) On the recommendation of the Authority having

regard to –

(a) the most recent and dynamic groundwater

resource assessments ;

(b) the applicable Water Resources Management

Plans for the concerned area;

(c) the nature of the aquifer, existing uses and users, groundwater availability, and the social, environmental and economic implications;

(d) protection and remediation of areas where the

groundwater has been contaminated;

(e) protection of areas of the aquifer, particularly, recharge zones from threats such as physical deterioration, the Government shall demarcate and notify the Groundwater Protection Zones in the identified areas of the State, for the purpose of protecting and conserving groundwater in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette.

(3) In the Groundwater Protection Zones, the activities affecting the quantity or quality of groundwater shall be prohibited, restricted or regulated in such manner as may be prescribed.

(4) The rules relating to the Groundwater Protection Zones shall be adopted, implemented and enforced by the relevant Implementing Authorities.

Surveys and Mapping

of Rivers and

Floodplains.

22. (1) The Authority, in coordination and consultation with the Implementing Authorities, shall, within such time from its establishment as may be prescribed, cause surveys of rivers and floodplains to be carried out.

(2) Floodplain Zones and River Conservation Zones are critical areas for managing flood risk and protecting natural ecosystems and it shall be conserved and protected in such manner as may be prescribed by the relevant Implementing Authorities.

Floodplain Zones. 23. (1) The Authority shall make recommendations to the Government for demarcation of Floodplain Zones and list of activities prohibited or restricted therein, based on the report of the Implementing Authorities, from time to time.

(2) On the recommendations of the Authority, the Government may, by notification in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette,—

(a) demarcate floodplains or any part thereof into Floodplain Zones for such frequencies of floods as they deem appropriate, marking the highest flood level for each Floodplain Zone;

(b) specify the list of activities prohibited, restricted or regulated in the Floodplain Zones in such manner as may be prescribed.

(3) After notification of the Floodplain Zones, their limits shall be marked by boundary stones or other suitable marks by the relevant Implementing Authorities.

(4) The rules relating to the Floodplain Zones shall be adopted, implemented and enforced by the relevant Implementing Authorities.

River Conservation

Zones.

24. (1) The Authority shall make recommendations to the Government for demarcation of River Conservation Zones and list of activities prohibited or restricted therein, based on the report of the Implementing Authorities, from time to time.

(2) On the recommendations of the Authority, the Government may, by notification in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette, shall —

(a) demarcate River Conservation Zones and permit certain activities to continue in such zones, subject to such conditions as may be specified, having regard to the traditional uses of riverine resources, and the rights of local communities and their livelihoods;

(b) specify the activities prohibited, restricted, or regulated in the River Conservation Zones, in such manner as may be prescribed.

(3) The rules relating to the River Conservation Zones shall be adopted, implemented and enforced by the relevant Implementing Authorities.

Management and

augmentation of

water resources.

25. (1) The Committees and Implementing Authorities, shall carry out the water resources management and augmentation as per the regulations, guidelines and plans formulated under this Act and shall—

(a) implement the components identified under the State Water Resources Management Plan and District Water Resources Management Plan in compliance with this Act;

(b) identify suitable places for construction of artificial recharge structures in such form and in such manner as may be prescribed;

(c) adopt conjunctive use of surface water and

groundwater;

(d) adopt measures for water conservation through guidelines on optimising water usage and regulate the abstraction or transportation of water by commercial water users from the water resources in the State and by promoting usage of treated waste water;

(e) prioritise utilisation of treated waste water for gardening, cooling purposes in water-intensive industries and gated communities, in such manner as may be prescribed;

(f) formulate guidelines for prevention of the sea

water intrusion in coastal aquifers as may be prescribed.

(2) With a view to ensure optimum utilisation of ground and surface water and formation of hydraulic barrier against seawater intrusion, the Government shall issue instructions for implementing artificial recharge schemes.

Tamil Nadu Water

Resources

Management Plan.

26. (1) The Authority shall prepare a State Water Resources Management Plan called the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Management Plan, within such time from the establishment of the Authority as may be prescribed.

(2) The Tamil Nadu Water Resources Management Plan shall have the overall objective of securing water to all in the State.

(3) The Tamil Nadu Water Resources Management Plan shall be prepared based on the terms as defined by the Authority and shall address and comprise of but not limited to the following, namely:–

(a) Water Security Plan for the entire State;

(b) Water budget for the entire State;

(c) the overarching State level master plan on water resources management which shall provide inputs, guidelines for preparation of the District Water Resources Management Plans and its implementation;

(d) proposals on inter-linking of rivers, tanks and other water bodies to manage and store the excess flood water and on infrastructure to serve the drought prone area;

(e) plans to manage, protect and conserve

groundwater and its resources;

(f) define Groundwater Protection Zones and formulate plans to manage, protect and conserve groundwater, its resources and the Groundwater Protection Zones;

(g) management and utilisation of river water and

rain water getting drained into sea.

(4) The Tamil Nadu Water Resources Management Plan shall be the basis for preparation of the District Water Resources Management Plans which shall be a subset of the State Water Resources Management Plan and shall detail the components of State plan for implementation at district and village levels.

(5) The Authority shall consult all Implementing Authorities and relevant stakeholders in such manner as may be prescribed, for the preparation of the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Management Plan.

(6) The Tamil Nadu Water Resources Management Plan shall be prepared for a period of fifteen years and shall have phasing plan for every five years.

(7) The Tamil Nadu Water Resources Management Plan shall provide necessary inputs towards preparation of the Water Budget, Flood Risk Management Plan and other Regulations and Guidelines which shall be formulated under the provisions of this Act.

(8) The Tamil Nadu Water Resources Management Plan shall be submitted to the Government for approval within such time as may be prescribed.

(9) As soon as may be, after the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Management Plan has been submitted to the Government, but not later than such time as may be prescribed, the Government shall give the consent to the Authority to the publication of the said Plan in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette.

District Water

Resources

Management Plans.

27. (1) After the publication of the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Management Plan in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette, each Committee shall, in accordance with the State Water Resources Management Plan and in such manner as may be prescribed, prepare the District Water Resources Management Plan for the district concerned, to implement at the district and village level for a period of fifteen years and shall have phasing plan for every five years.

(2) The District Water Resources Management Plan shall be submitted to the Authority for approval within such time as may be prescribed.

(3) As soon as may be, after the District Water Resources Management Plan has been submitted to the Authority, but not later than such time as may be prescribed, the Authority shall give the consent to the Committee concerned to the publication of the said Plan in the District Gazette.

Review of Water

Resources

Management

Plans.

28.(1) All water resources management plans framed under this Act shall be valid and binding for a period of fifteen years from the date of the notification, unless climatic, geological or hydro-geological events require them to be reviewed and amended earlier:

Provided that the Government may, if they deem necessary, direct the Authority to undertake such review of the State Water Resources Management Plan within such period as may be specified by the Government.

(2) The process of review of all the water resources management plans shall begin at such time before their expiry as may be prescribed and shall be completed before the expiry of the plan period.

CHAPTER-V.

PENALTY FOR CONTRAVENTION.

Penalty for

contravention.

29. (1) Any commercial water user who abstracts or transports water without authorisation, shall be liable to penalty of twenty thousand rupees or twenty times of the tariff fixed under sub-section (1) of section 20 for the quantity of water so abstracted or transported, whichever is higher and in case of second or subsequent contravention, shall be liable to penalty of forty thousand rupees or forty times of the said tariff for the quantity of water so abstracted or transported, whichever is higher.

(2) Any commercial water user who abstracts or transports water in contravention of the terms and conditions of the authorisation, shall be liable to penalty of ten thousand rupees or ten times of the tariff fixed under sub-section (1) of section 20 for the quantity of water so abstracted or transported in contravention of the authorisation, whichever is higher and in case of second or subsequent contravention, shall be liable to penalty of twenty thousand rupees or twenty times of the said tariff for the quantity of water so abstracted or transported, whichever is higher.

(3) Any person who contravenes any other provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder shall be liable to a penalty of not exceeding ten thousand rupees and in case of second or subsequent contravention, shall be liable to a penalty of not exceeding twenty thousand rupees.

(4) Whoever pollutes or contaminates any water resources or causes any other environmental harm shall be liable for the cost of remediation of such harm.

Contravention by

companies.

30. (1) Where a contravention of any of the provisions of this Act or any rule made thereunder has been committed by a company, every person who, at the time the contravention was committed, was in charge of, and was responsible to, the company for the conduct of the business of the company as well as the company, shall be deemed to have contravened and shall be liable for a penalty specified under this Act:

Provided that nothing contained in this sub-section shall render any such person liable to any penalty provided in this Act, if he proves that the contravention was committed without his knowledge or that he had exercised all due diligence to prevent such contravention.

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), where any such contravention has been committed by a company and it is proved that the contravention has been committed with the consent or connivance of or is attributable to any neglect on the part of, any director, manager, secretary or other officer of the company, such director, manager, secretary or other officer, shall also be deemed to have contravened and shall be liable for a penalty specified under this Act.

Explanation.— For the purposes of this section,—

(a) "company" means any body corporate and includes a trust, a firm, a society or other association of individuals; and

(b) "director" in relation to —

(i) a firm, means a partner in the firm,

(ii) a society, a trust or other association of individuals, means the person who is entrusted under the rules of the society or other association, with the management of the affairs of the society or other association, as the case may be.

Adjudication.

31. (1) The Government may, for the purposes of adjudicating the contraventions and determining penalties under this Act, by notification in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette, appoint an officer to be the adjudicating officer to hold an inquiry and impose penalty in such manner as may be prescribed:

Provided that the Government may appoint as many

adjudicating officers as may be required.

(2) The adjudicating officer may summon and enforce the attendance of any person acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case to give evidence or to produce any document, which in the opinion of the adjudicating officer, may be useful for, or relevant to, the subject matter of the inquiry and if, on such inquiry, he is satisfied that the person concerned has failed to comply with any of the provisions of this Act, he may impose such penalty as he deems fit:

Provided that no such penalty shall be imposed without

giving a reasonable opportunity of being heard.

Appeal.

32. (1) Any person who is aggrieved by an order passed by the adjudicating officer under section 31 may prefer an appeal to the appellate officer as may be notified by the Government in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette within sixty days from the date of receipt of the order, in such manner as may be prescribed:

Provided that an appeal may be admitted after the expiry of the period of sixty days, if the appellate officer is satisfied that the appellant had sufficient cause for not preferring the appeal within that period.

(2) The appellate officer may, after giving the parties to the appeal an opportunity of being heard, pass such order as he may think fit.

(3) The appellate officer shall dispose of the appeal

within sixty days from the date of filing of appeal.

Recovery.

33. If the penalty imposed under section 31 or section 32, as the case may be, is not deposited in such manner as may be prescribed, the amount due shall be recovered as an arrear of land revenue as per Tamil Nadu Revenue Recovery Act,1864.

No bar on prosecution

under other laws.

34. Nothing contained in this Act shall be deemed to prevent any person from being prosecuted under any other law for any act or omission which constitutes a contravention under this Act.

CHAPTER-VI.

ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT.

Grants by the

Government. 35. The Government may make such grants and advances to the Authority as they may deem necessary for the performance of its functions and the discharge of its duties under this Act.

Budget of the

Authority.

36.The Authority shall prepare, in such form and at such time in each financial year, as may be prescribed, its budget for the next financial year, showing the estimated receipts and expenditure of the Authority and shall forward the same to the Government.

Accounts and 37. (1) The accounts of the Authority shall be maintained

audit.

in such form and in such manner as may be prescribed.

(2) The Authority shall prepare an annual statement of accounts in such form and in such manner as may be prescribed.

(3) The accounts of the Authority shall be audited at least once in a year by such auditor as the Government may appoint in this behalf.

CHAPTER-VII.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Power of the

Government to give

directions.

38. The Government may, from time to time, issue such directions to the Authority as they may deem fit, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act and it shall be the duty of the Authority to comply with such directions.

Compatibility review.

39.The Government shall undertake a comprehensive review of all laws or legal provisions in force in the State, relating to water, water resources or water resources management within two years from the date of coming into force of this Act, so as to ascertain their compatibility with this Act.

Power of the 40. (1) The Government may make rules to carry out all or

Government to any of the purposes of this Act.

make rules.

(2) (a) All rules made under this Act shall be published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette and unless they are expressed to come into force on a particular day, shall come into force on the day on which they are so published.

(b) All notifications issued under this Act shall, unless they are expressed to come into force on a particular day, shall come into force on the day on which they are so published.

(3) Every rule or notification made or the order issued under section 42 shall, as soon as possible, after it is made or issued, be placed on the table of the Legislative Assembly, and if, before the expiry of the session, in which it is so placed or the next session, the Assembly makes any modification in any such rule, notification or order or the Assembly decides that the rule, notification or order should not be made or issued, the rule, notification or order shall, thereafter have effect, only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be, however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule, notification or order.

Power of the

Authority

to make Regulations.

41. The Authority may, with the previous approval of the Government, by notification in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette, make regulations not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder to carry out the purposes of this Act.

Power to remove

difficulties.

42. If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this Act, the Government may, by an order published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette, make such provisions not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act as appear to them to be necessary or expedient for removing such difficulty:

Provided that no such order shall be made after the expiry

of two years from the date of commencement of this Act.

Protection of action

taken in good faith.

43. No suit, prosecution, or other legal proceeding shall lie against any of the members, officers or staff of the Authority, Committee or Implementing Authority, in respect of anything done or intended to be done by them in good faith, in the discharge of their official functions or in exercise of the powers under this Act, the rules or regulations.

Conflict with other

laws.

44. (1) This Act shall be in addition to, and not in derogation of, existing or other laws relating to water, water resources or water resources management in the State, and shall be read harmoniously with all such other laws.

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), or in any State laws for the time being in force in the State, where there is a conflict between the provisions of this Act and any other State law relating to water, water resources or water resources management in the State, the provisions of this Act shall take precedence and have an overriding effect.

Annual report. 45. The Authority shall prepare for every year a report of its activities during that year and submit the report to the Government in such form and on or before such date as may be prescribed.

Exemption. 46. The Government may, by notification and for reasons to be specified therein, exempt any water user from any of the provisions of this Act, or the rules made thereunder, subject to such conditions as they may deem fit and may, in the like manner, vary or cancel such exemption.

Members, officers and

Central Act 45 of staff of the Authority

2023.

and Committee to

be public servants.

47. When acting or purporting to act in pursuance of this Act, every member, officer and staff of the Authority and member of the Committee shall be deemed to be a public servant within the meaning of clause (28) of section 2 of the Bharathiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

Tamil Nadu Act 27 of

1987.

Repeal. 48. The Chennai Metropolitan Area Groundwater (Regulation) Act,1987 is hereby repealed.

PART – II.

AMENDMENT TO THE TAMIL NADU

PANCHAYATS ACT, 1994.

Amendment of section

Tamil Nadu Act 21 of 49. In section 143-A of the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act,

143-A.

1994.

1994, the second proviso to sub-section (1) shall be omitted.

PART – III.

AMENDMENT TO THE TAMIL NADU URBAN LOCAL

BODIES ACT, 1998.

Amendment of section

Tamil Nadu Act 9 of 164-A.

1999.

50. In section 164-A of the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Act, 1998, the second proviso to sub-section (1) shall be omitted.

STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS

Rapid population growth, urbanisation, industrialisation and the impacts of climate change have resulted in increasing stress on the surface water and groundwater resources of the State of Tamil Nadu. Unregulated extraction and improper utilisation of water have adversely affected water security and the sustainability of water-related ecosystems. There is a need for a holistic and integrated approach to water governance for all types of water resources, including groundwater, surface water, wastewater and basins.

2. In order to ensure sustainable, equitable and integrated management of surface water and groundwater and to regulate, conserve, manage and develop water resources across the State, the Government have decided to enact a comprehensive new legislation for regulation, management and augmentation of the entire water resources of the State by repealing the Chennai Metropolitan Area Groundwater (Regulation) Act, 1987 (Tamil Nadu Act 27 of 1987) so as to ensure an uniform regulatory system throughout the State. The proposed legislation provides for constitution of Tamil Nadu Water Resources Management Authority, District Committees, formulation of State and District Water Resources Management Plans, regulation of existing and new commercial water users, levy of water tariff for abstraction of water by them and measures for flood management and for matters connected therewith.

3. The Bill seeks to give effect to the above decision.

DURAIMURUGAN, Minister for Water Resources.

MEMORANDUM REGARDING DELEGATED LEGISLATION

Clauses 1 (3) , 5, 6 (4), 8 (1), 11 (3), 12 (1), 13 (2), 14 (1), 15, 17, 19 (1), 20 (2), 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 31, 32, 33, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 45 and 46 of the Bill authorise the Government to issue notifications, make rules, or pass orders, as the case may be, for the purposes specified therein.

2. The powers delegated are normal and are not of an exceptional character.

DURAIMURUGAN, Minister for Water Resources.

Secretariat,

Chennai,

K. SRINIVASAN, 24th January 2026.

Principal Secretary.

Under Rule 130 of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Rules, the

following Bill which was introduced in the Legislative Assembly of the

State of Tamil Nadu on 24th January, 2026 is published together with

Statement of Objects and Reasons for general information:-

L.A.Bill No. 7 of 2026

A Bill further to amend the Tamil Nadu

Panchayats Act, 1994.

Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Tamil Nadu in the Seventy-sixth Year of the Republic of India as follows:—

Short title and 1. (1) This Act may be called the Tamil Nadu

commencement.

Panchayats (Amendment) Act, 2026.

(2) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 6th

day of January 2026.

Amendment of Tamil Nadu Act 21

section 261-A.

of 1994.

2. In section 261-A of the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1994 (hereinafter referred to as the principal Act), for the expression "upto the 5th day of January 2026", the expression "upto the 5th day of July 2026" shall be substituted.

Validation.

3. Notwithstanding anything contained in the principal Act, the Special Officers appointed by the Government to exercise the powers and discharge the functions of the village panchayats, panchayat union councils or the district panchayats other than the panchayats in the districts of Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupathur, Tirunelveli, and Tenkasi with effect on and from the 6th day of January 2026, shall be deemed to have been appointed as such Special Officers under section 261-A of the principal Act, as amended by this Act, and anything done or any action taken by the said Special Officers during the period commencing on and from the 6th day of January 2026 and ending with the date of publication of this Act in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette, shall be deemed to have been validly done or taken under the principal Act, as amended by this Act.

STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS

The municipal councils of Tiruvannamalai, Karaikudi, Pudukkottai and Namakkal have been upgraded as municipal corporations by including certain village panchayats under clause (c) of sub- section (1) of section 3 of the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Act,1998 (Tamil Nadu Act 9 of 1999), with effect on and from the 12th August 2024.

2. Amalgamation of the said village panchayats with the municipalities will lead to decrease in the total number of village panchayats in the respective panchayat union councils and district panchayats and it will reflect in the overall process of delimitation and thereafter reservation of seats and office for the persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Women. Likewise, proposals are under active consideration of the Government for expansion of many municipal corporations, municipal councils and town panchayats by including certain village panchayats adjoining to these urban local bodies in 28 Districts. Finalisation of these proposals and notification of expanded urban local bodies will also alter the boundaries of village panchayats, panchayat union councils and district panchayats. After completion of the reorganisation process, definite timeline is required for delimitation of wards and thereafter reservation of seats and office for the persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Women, which are the fundamental requirements for conducting elections to the said panchayats.

3. The Hon'ble High Court of Madras in its Order, dated 21.12.2024 in W.P No.39526 of 2024 and W.M.P.No.42808 of 2024 has disposed the said Writ Petition after recording the submission of the Additional Advocate General that without completion of delimitation and the process required for announcing reservations, the election for panchayats will not be notified.

4. In the meantime, the tenure of elected representatives of panchayats in 28 districts other than the panchayats in the districts of Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupathur, Tirunelveli and Tenkasi was due to expire on the 5th January 2025. Since, the ordinary election to the said panchayats in 28 districts could not be conducted before the 5th January 2025, because of the non-completion of the process of delimitation/reservation of wards, section 261-A of the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1994 (Tamil Nadu Act 21 of 1994) had been amended by the Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Amendment) Act, 2025 (Tamil Nadu Act 6 of 2025) so as to enable the Government to appoint Special Officers for the panchayats in the said 28 districts to administer the aforesaid panchayats till ordinary elections to the said panchayats are held or till the 5th July 2025, whichever is earlier. The term has further been extended upto the 5th day January 2026 vide the Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Fourth Amendment) Act, 2025 (Tamil Nadu Act 53 of 2025)

5. The term of office of the Special Officers appointed as per section 261-A of the said Tamil Nadu Act 21 of 1994 was due to expire on the 5th January 2026. Since the process of reorganisation, delimitation of wards and reservation of wards in panchayats would require some more time, it was not possible to conduct ordinary election to the said panchayats on or before the 5th January 2026. However, in order to administer the day to day affairs of the panchayats in the said 28 districts, the Government issued orders extending the term of Special Officers for 28 districts appointed under section 261-A of the said Tamil Nadu Act 21 of 1994 to exercise the powers and discharging functions of village panchayats, panchayat unions councils and district panchayats with effect from 06.01.2026 to 05.07.2026.

6. In view of the circumstances stated above, the Government have decided to amend the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1994 (Tamil Nadu Act 21 of 1994) so as to enable the Government to extend the term of office of the Special Officers for a further period of six months upto the 5th July 2026 or until the first meeting of village panchayats, panchayat union councils and the district panchayats, is held after the ordinary elections to the said panchayats, whichever is earlier and to validate the action of the Government having extended the term of Special Officers in the said 28 districts beyond the 5th January 2026 till the date of publication of this Act in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette.

7. The Bill seeks to give effect to the above decision.

I. PERIYASAMY, Minister of Rural Development.

Secretariat,

Chennai,

K. SRINIVASAN, 24th January 2026.

Principal Secretary.

Under Rule 130 of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Rules, the

following Bill which was introduced in the Legislative Assembly of the

State of Tamil Nadu on 24th January, 2026 is published together with

Statement of Objects and Reasons for general information:-

L.A.Bill No. 8 of 2026

A Bill further to amend the Tamil Nadu Agricultural

Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1987.

BE it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Tamil Nadu in the Seventy-sixth Year of the Republic of India as follows:—

Short title and 1. (1) This Act may be called the Tamil Nadu Agricultural

commencement.

Produce Marketing (Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026.

(2) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the

30th day of November 2025.

Tamil Nadu

Amendment of Act 27 of 1989.

section 33.

2. In section 33 of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1987 (hereinafter referred to as the principal Act), in the proviso to sub-section (1), for the expression "fourteen years and six months", the expression "fifteen years and six months" shall be substituted.

Validation.

3. Notwithstanding anything contained in the principal Act, every person exercising the powers and discharging the functions of a Special Officer of the market committees, with effect on and from the 30th day of November 2025, shall be deemed to have been appointed as such Special Officers under sub-section (1) of section 33 of the principal Act, as amended by this Act, and anything done or any action taken by the said Special Officers during the period commencing on the 30th day of November 2025 and ending with the date of publication of this Act in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette, shall be deemed to have been validly done or taken under the principal Act, as amended by this Act.

STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS.

Sub-section (1) of section 33 of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1987 (Tamil Nadu Act 27 of 1989) empowers the Government to appoint a Special Officer to manage the affairs of a market committee for a period not exceeding one year at a time and the said period may be extended by the Government from time to time subject to the condition that the such order of extension shall not remain in force for more than three years in the aggregate. By virtue of the said provision, Special Officers were appointed to several market committees to manage its affairs. The maximum period for which such order of extension shall remain in force was enhanced from time to time beyond the said period of three years, by amending the proviso to sub-section (1) of section 33 of the said Act. Lastly the maximum period for which an order of extension shall remain in force was extended to fourteen years and six months by the Tamil Nadu Act 36 of 2024.

2. As some more time is required to nominate members to three of the market committees, namely, Tiruchirappalli, Cuddalore and Theni, there is a compelling necessity to extend the tenure of the Special Officers of the said three market committees for a further period of one year beyond the period of fourteen years and six months permissible under the proviso to sub-section (1) of section 33 of the said Act. 3. Accordingly, the Government have decided to amend the proviso to sub-section (1) of section 33 of the said Tamil Nadu Act 27 of 1989 to enhance the period specified therein to fifteen years and six months in order to extend the tenure of the Special Officers of the said three market committees for a further period of one year and validate the action of the Special Officers of the said three market committees beyond 29th November 2025.

4. The Bill seeks to give effect to the above said decision.

M.R.K. PANNEERSELVAM, Minister for Agriculture-Farmers Welfare.

Secretariat,

Chennai,

K. SRINIVASAN, 24th January 2026.

Principal Secretary.

Under Rule 130 of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Rules, the

following Bill which was introduced in the Legislative Assembly of the

State of Tamil Nadu on 24th January, 2026 is published together with

Statement of Objects and Reasons for general information:-

L.A.Bill No. 9 of 2026

A Bill further to amend the

Tamil Nadu Prevention of Begging Act, 1945

Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Tamil Nadu in the Seventy-sixth Year of the Republic of India as follows:—

Short title and 1. (1) This Act may be called the Tamil Nadu Prevention of

commencement.

Begging (Amendment) Act, 2026.

(2) It shall come into force at once.

Tamil Nadu Act XIII

Amendment of of 1945.

section 4.

2. In section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Begging Act, 1945 (hereinafter referred to as the principal Act), the expression "and the provisions of sections 10-A,12-A and 23 shall apply if the State Government have notified any leper asylum appointed under section 3 of the Lepers Act, 1898 (Central Act III of 1898) as a special home under clause (2) of section 2" at the end shall be omitted.

Amendment of 3. In section 6 of the principal Act, the expression "or section

section 6. 12-A " shall be omitted.

Amendment of 4. In section 10 of the principal Act, the expression "other

section 10.

than a person who is a leper" shall be omitted.

5. Section 10-A of the principal Act shall be omitted. Omission of section

10-A.

Amendment of

section 11.

6. In section 11 of the principal Act, for the expression section 8,9,10 or 10-A, the expression "section 8,9 or 10" shall be substituted.

7. Section 12-A of the principal Act shall be omitted. Omission of section

12-A.

Amendment of

section 15.

8. In section 15 of the principal Act, in the proviso to sub-section (2), the expression "a contagious leper or" shall be omitted.

Amendment of 9. In section 23 of the principal Act ,—

section 23.

(1) in the marginal heading, the expression "lepers and"

shall be omitted.

(2) in sub-section (2),—

(a) clause (a) shall be omitted;

(b) in clause (b), the expression "other than leprosy"

shall be omitted.

(3) in sub-section (3),—

(a) the expression "a contagious leper or", occurring

in two places, shall be omitted;

(b) clause (i) shall be omitted.

(4) in sub-section (4), the expressions "the Lepers Act, 1898 (Central Act III of 1898) or", "leper asylum appointed under section 3 of the Lepers Act, 1898 (Central Act III of 1898) or any", "the Superintendent of such leper asylum or", "under section 10-A or section 12-A or" and the expression "as the case may be" occurring in two places, shall be omitted.

STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS.

The Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in its order dated 07.05.2025 in W.P(Civil) No.83 of 2010 has directed to constitute a Committee to identify all the State laws, pre or post Constitution where the discriminating expressions in respect of the leprosy affected or cured persons are still part of the Statute book including the subordinate legislations and also directed that the Committee to make recommendations to the State Government for suitable amendments therein.

2. It is identified that some of the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Begging Act,1945 (Tamil Nadu Act XIII of 1945) are discriminating the leprosy affected or cured persons. In compliance of the above order of the Supreme Court of India, the Government have decided to omit such discriminatory provisions of the said Tamil Nadu Act XIII of 1945.

3. The Bill seeks to give effect to the above decision.

P. GEETHA JEEVAN, Minister for Social Welfare and Women Empowerment.

Secretariat,

Chennai,

K. SRINIVASAN, 24th January 2026.

Principal Secretary.

Under Rule 130 of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Rules, the

following Bill which was introduced in the Legislative Assembly of the

State of Tamil Nadu on 24th January, 2026 is published together with

Statement of Objects and Reasons for general information:-

L.A.Bill No. 10 of 2026

A Bill further to amend the Tamil Nadu Schools

(Regulation of Collection of Fee) Act, 2009.

BE it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Tamil Nadu in the Seventy-sixth Year of the Republic of India as follows: —

Short title and 1. (1) This Act may be called the Tamil Nadu Schools

Commencement.

(Regulation of Collection of Fee) Amendment Act, 2026.

(2) It shall come into force on such date as the State

Government may, by notification, appoint.

Tamil Nadu Act 22

Amendment of of 2009.

section 2.

2. In section 2 of the Tamil Nadu Schools (Regulation of Collection of Fee) Act, 2009 (hereinafter referred to as the principal Act), in clause (j),—

(1) the expression "or code of regulation" shall be omitted;

(2) under the Explanation, clause (1) shall be omitted.

Amendment of 3. In section 5 of the principal Act,—

section 5.

(1) for sub-section (2), the following sub-section shall be

substituted, namely:—

"(2) The committee shall consist of the following members,

namely:—

(a) a retired High Court

- Chairperson;

Judge, nominated by the Government, in consultation with the Chief Justice of High Court of Madras

(b) The Director of School

- Ex-officio Member;

Education

(c) The Director of Private

- Ex-officio Member;

Schools

(d) The Director of Elementary - Ex-officio Member;

Education

(e) Joint Chief Engineer

- Ex-officio Member;

(Buildings), Public Works Department

(f) A parent who is a member - Member;

of the Tamil Nadu State Parent-Teachers Association to be nominated by the Government

(g) An officer not below the

- Ex-officio Member-

Secretary.";

rank of Deputy Secretary to Government, School Education Department.

(2) after sub-section (4), the following sub-sections shall be

added, namely:—

"(4-A) The member nominated under clause (f) of sub-section (2) shall hold office for a term of three years from the date of his nomination:

Provided that when the office of the nominated member becomes vacant for any reason, a new member shall be nominated in his place and such member shall hold office so long as the member whose place he fills would have been entitled to hold office, if such vacancy had not occurred:

Provided further that such member shall cease to be a member of the said committee from the date on which he ceases to be a member of the Tamil Nadu State Parent -Teachers Association.

(4-B) The member nominated under clause (f) of sub-section (2) may, by writing under his hand addressed to the Government, resign his office but he shall continue to hold office until his resignation is accepted by the Government.

(4-C) If, at any time, it appears to the Government that the member nominated under clause (f) of sub-section (2) has shown himself to be unsuitable for office or has been guilty of misconduct or neglect which renders his removal expedient, the Government may, after giving the nominated member a reasonable opportunity of showing cause, remove the nominated member, from the office.

(4-D) The member nominated under clause (f) of sub-section (2) shall be eligible to draw such sitting fee and other allowances as may be prescribed.".

Amendment of

4. In section 6 of the principal Act, —

section 6.

(1) in sub-section (3), for the expression "fifteen days", the

expression "thirty days" shall be substituted;

(2) for sub-section (5), the following sub-section shall be

substituted, namely:—

"(5) The fee determined by the committee shall be binding on the private schools and valid for a period of three academic years.";

(3) after sub-section (5) as so substituted, the following sub-

section shall be inserted, namely:—

"(5-A) Every private school shall, before the expiry of the validity of the fee determined under sub-section (5), submit an application for revision of fee, within such time, in such form accompanied with such scrutiny fee as may be prescribed.".

STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS

The Tamil Nadu Schools (Regulation of Collection of Fee) Act, 2009 (Tamil Nadu Act 22 of 2009) was enacted to provide for the regulation of collection of fees by private schools in the State of Tamil Nadu through the fixation of fee by the Fee Determination Committee, with a view to ensure that such fees are reasonable, justifiable, and imposed only for bona fide educational purposes.

2. Now, it has been proposed to induct a parent member from the Tamil Nadu State Parent-Teachers Association as a member of the said Committee in order to give representation to parents in the Fee Committee. Further, it is also proposed to include the Director of Private Schools in lieu of the Director of Matriculation Schools in the said Committee since the post of Director of Matriculation Schools has been subsumed within the Director of Private Schools, and also to nominate a Government officer not below the rank of Deputy Secretary to Government in the said Committee to ensure administrative flexibility and continuity in the function of the Committee. Apart from that, in order to provide reasonable opportunity for making objections against the decision of the Fee Determination Committee regarding the fee structure, it is proposed to enhance the time limit provided for filing objections from "fifteen days" to "thirty days" from the date of receipt of the decision of the said Committee. Further, it has also been proposed to incorporate an enabling provision for mandatory submission of application for revision of fee to the said committee once in every three years, before the expiry of the validity of the fee determined by the committee.

3. To achieve the said purpose, suitable provisions have to be incorporated in the said Tamil Nadu Act 22 of 2009. The Government have therefore decided to amend the said Tamil Nadu Act 22 of 2009 suitably for the above purposes.

4. The Bill seeks to give effect to the above decisions.

ANBIL MAHESH POYYAMOZHI, Minister for School Education.

MEMORANDUM REGARDING DELEGATED LEGISLATION

Clauses 1(2), 3 and 4 of the Bill authorise the Government to issue notification or to make rules for the purposes specified therein.

2. The powers delegated are normal and not of an exceptional character.

ANBIL MAHESH POYYAMOZHI, Minister for School Education.

Secretariat,

Chennai,

K. SRINIVASAN, 24th January 2026.

Principal Secretary.

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF STATIONERY AND PRINTING, CHENNAI ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT OF TAMIL NADU