The Bihar and Uttar Pradesh (Alteration of Boundaries) Act, 1968

If any item in suspense is ultimately found to affect an asset or liability of the nature referred to in any of the foregoing provisions of this Part, it shall be dealt with in accordance with that provision.

---

Where the States of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh agree that the benefit or burden of any particular asset or liability should be apportioned between them in a manner other than that provided for in the foregoing provisions of this Part, then, notwithstanding anything contained therein, the benefit or burden of that asset or liability shall be apportioned in the manner agreed upon.

---

Where, by virtue of any of the provisions of this Part, either of the States of Bihar or Uttar Pradesh becomes entitled to any property or obtains any benefits or becomes subject to any liability, and the Central Government, on a reference made within a period of three years from the appointed day by either of the States, is of opinion that it is just and equitable that that property or those benefits should be transferred to, or shared with, the other State or that a contribution towards that liability should be made by the other State, the said property or benefits shall be allocated in such manner between the two States, or the other State shall make to the State subject to the liability such contribution in respect thereof, as the Central Government may, after consultation with the two State Governments, by order determine.

---

All sums payable by either Bihar or Uttar Pradesh to the other State by virtue of the provisions of this Part shall be charged on the Consolidated Fund of the State by which such sums are payable.

---

As from the appointed day—

---

(a) the Financial Corporations constituted under the State Financial Corporations Act, 1951 (63 of 1951), for the States of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, and

---

(b) the State Electricity Boards constituted under the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948 (54 of 1948), for the said States,

---

shall be deemed to have been constituted for those States with their areas as altered by the provisions of section 3.

---

The provisions of section 3 shall not be deemed to have effected any change in the territories to which any law in force immediately before the appointed day extends or applies, and territorial references in any such law to the State of Bihar or Uttar Pradesh shall, until otherwise provided by a competent Legislature or other competent authority, be construed as meaning the territories within that State immediately before the appointed day.

---

For the purpose of facilitating the application of any law in relation to the State of Bihar or Uttar Pradesh, the appropriate Government may, before the expiration of one year from the appointed day, by order make such adaptations and modifications of the law, whether by way of repeal or amendment as may be necessary or expedient, and thereupon every such law shall have effect subject to the adaptations or modifications so made until altered, repealed or amended by a competent Legislature or other competent authority.

---

Explanation.—In this section, the expression "appropriate Government" means as respects any law relating to a matter enumerated in the Union List, the Central Government, and as respects any other law, the State Government

---

Notwithstanding that no provision or insufficient provision has been made for the adaptation of a law made before the appointed day, any court, tribunal or authority, required or empowered to enforce such law may, for the purpose of facilitating its application in relation to the State of Bihar or Uttar Pradesh, construe the law in such manner, without affecting the substance, as may be necessary or proper in regard to the matter before the court, tribunal or authority.

---

Where, immediately before the appointed day, the State of Bihar or Uttar Pradesh is a party to any legal proceedings with respect to any property, rights or liabilities transferred to the other State under this Act, the other State shall be deemed to be substituted for the State from which such property rights or liabilities are transferred as a party to those proceedings, or added as a party thereto, as the case may be, and the proceedings may continue accordingly.

---

(1) Every proceeding pending immediately before the appointed day before a court (other than a High Court), tribunal, authority or officer in any area which on that day falls within the State of Bihar or Uttar Pradesh shall, if it is a proceeding relatable exclusively to any part of the territories which as from that day are the territories of the other State, stand transferred to the corresponding court, tribunal authority or officer in the other State.

---

(2) If any question arises as to whether any proceeding should stand transferred under sub-section (1), it shall be referred to the High Court having jurisdiction in respect of the area in which the court, tribunal, authority or officer before which, or before whom, such proceeding is pending on the appointed day, is functioning, and the decision of that High Court shall be final.

---

(3) In this section,—

---

(a) "proceeding" includes any suit, case or appeal; and

---

(b) "corresponding court, tribunal, authority or officer" in a State means—

---

(i) the court, tribunal, authority or officer in which, or before whom, the proceeding would have lain if the proceeding had been instituted after the appointed day, or

---

(ii) in case of doubt, such court, tribunal, authority or officer in that State as may be determined after the appointed day by the Government of that State, or before the appointed day by the Government of the other State, to be the corresponding court, tribunal, authority or officer.

---

Any person who, immediately before the appointed day, is enrolled as a pleader entitled to practise in any subordinate courts in the transferred territories shall, for a period of six months from that day, continue to be entitled to practise in those courts, notwithstanding that the whole or any part of the territories within the jurisdiction of those courts has been transferred to another State.

---

(1) It shall be lawful for the State Government which is responsible for the construction of any boundary pillar under sub-section (3) of section 3 to cause such pillar to be constructed and maintained and no suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against the State Government or any of its officers for anything in good faith done or intended to be done under this section.

---

(2) The boundary pillars shall be inspected jointly by the officers of the State Governments of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in accordance with such rules as the Central Government may make in this behalf.

---

(3) Whoever wilfully removes or injures any boundary pillar shall be punishable with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.

---

(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (5 of 1898), an offence under sub-section (3) may be inquired into and tried by a court in either of the States of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

---

All things done, and all steps taken, before the commencement of this Act in connection with the demarcation of the fixed boundary in relation to the river Ganga or the river Ghaghra, as the case may be, shall, in so far as they are in conformity with the provisions of sub-sections (2) and (3) of section 3, be deemed to have been done in accordance with law.

---

The provisions of this Act shall have effect notwithstanding any law, custom or usage which is inconsistent therewith.

---

If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this Act, the President may, by notified order, do anything, not inconsistent with such provisions which appears to him to be necessary or expedient for the purpose of removing the difficulty.

---

(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules to give effect to the provisions of this Act.

---

(2) Every rule made under this section shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before each House of Parliament while it is in session for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or ¹ [in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid], both Houses agree in making any modification in the rule or both Houses agree that the rule should not be made, the rule shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be, so, however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule.

---