Question 1

The Indian Ports Act, 2025 sets the tariffs and administrative rules for all ports in India, including Major Ports.

Accepted Answer

Tariffs and administration for Major Ports are still strictly governed by the Major Port Authorities Act, 2021. The 2025 Act primarily empowers State Maritime Boards to fix tariffs and regulate Non-Major ports.

Question 2

The newly statutory Maritime State Development Council (MSDC) gives the Central Government absolute control over non-major ports.

Accepted Answer

The MSDC is a cooperative, consultative body that includes state ministers-in-charge of ports. Actual administration, licensing, and day-to-day regulation of non-major ports are decentralized to the State Maritime Boards.

Question 3

Disputes under the new Act are resolved by the National Green Tribunal or standard Civil Courts.

Accepted Answer

The Act explicitly bars civil courts from hearing disputes related to non-major ports. It creates dedicated, specialized Dispute Resolution Committees (DRCs) at the state level, with appeals going directly to the High Court.

Question 4

Consider the following statements regarding the Indian Ports Act, 2025:
1. It provides statutory recognition to the Maritime State Development Council (MSDC) to prepare a National Perspective Plan.
2. It mandates the Central Government to set up Dispute Resolution Committees (DRCs) for both major and non-major ports.
3. It legally enforces compliance with the MARPOL Convention and the Ballast Water Management Convention.
How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

(b) Only two — Statement 1 is correct: Section 3 grants statutory status to the MSDC to formulate the National Perspective Plan. Statement 3 is correct: Chapter VIII of the Act mandates compliance with global treaties like MARPOL. Statement 2 is incorrect: Section 16 mandates State Governments (not the Central Government) to constitute DRCs specifically for disputes concerning non-major ports (not major ports).

Question 5

Match List I (Features/Roles under the Indian Ports Act, 2025) with List II (Respective Authority):
List I
A. Administration and tariff fixing for Non-Major Ports
B. Formulation of the National Perspective Plan
C. Appellate authority for DRC orders
D. Administration of Major Ports
List II
1. High Court
2. Maritime State Development Council (MSDC)
3. State Maritime Board
4. Board of Major Port Authority
Select the correct code:

Accepted Answer

(a) A-3, B-2, C-1, D-4 — Non-major ports are administered by State Maritime Boards (A-3). The MSDC coordinates and prepares the National Perspective Plan (B-2). Appeals against the state-level Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) orders lie directly with the High Court (C-1). Major ports are not administered by SMBs; they are governed by the Board of Major Port Authority under the 2021 Act (D-4).

Question 6

Assertion (A): The Indian Ports Act, 2025 explicitly bars civil courts from entertaining commercial and operational disputes related to non-major ports.
Reason (R): The Act establishes state-level Dispute Resolution Committees (DRCs) to ensure specialized and expedited adjudication of port-related conflicts.
Select the correct answer:

Accepted Answer

(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A — Section 17 of the Act bars civil court jurisdiction over matters entrusted to the DRCs. The legislative intent behind this (Assertion A) is correctly explained by Reason (R): Section 16 creates specialized DRCs specifically to remove technical commercial disputes from backlogged civil courts, allowing for faster resolution with appeals bypassing lower courts and going straight to the High Court.

Passage of the Indian Ports Act, 2025

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