1. Short title and extent.—(1) This Act may be called the 4
[Inland Vessels] Act,
1917.
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[(2) It extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir *:
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2. Definitions.—7
[1] In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject
or context.—
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[(a) “inland vessel” or “inland mechanically propelled vessel” means a mechanically propelled
vessel, which ordinarily plies on inland water, but does not include fishing vessel and a ship
registered under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 (44 of 1958);
(b) “inland water” means—
(i) any canal, river, lake or other navigable water within a State,
(ii) any area of any tidal water deemed to be the inland to be smooth and partially by the
Central Government under section 70,
(iii) waters declared by the Central Government to be smooth and partially smooth waters
under clause (41) of section 3 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 (44 of 1958);
(c) “mechanically propelled vessel” means every description of vessel propelled wholly or in part
by electricity, steam or other mechanical power including dumb vessel towed by mechanically
propelled vessel and vessel propelled by outboard motor;]
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[(d)] “passenger” includes any person carried in a 10[mechanically propelled vessel] other than
the master and crew and the owner, his family and servants;
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[(e)] “prescribed” means prescribed by any rule under this Act;
1. This Act—
(i) has been amended in Bengal by Bengal Act 7 of 1940:
(ii) came into force on 1st June, 1917, vide Gazette of India, 1917, Pt. I, p. 988;
(iii) has been extended in its application to Goa, Daman and Diu by Reg. 12 of 1962, s. 3 and Sch. And to Pondicherry on
1-10-1963; vide Reg. 7 of 1963, s. 3 and Sch. I.
2. Subs. by Act 35 of 1977, s. 2. for “Inland Steam-vessels” (w.e.f. 1-5-1978).
3. Subs. by s. 3, ibid., for “Inland Steam-vessels” (w.e.f. 1-5 1978).
4. Subs. by s. 4, ibid., for “Inland Steam-vessels” (w.e.f. 1-5-1978).
5. Subs. by Act 26 of 1951, s. 2, for sub-sections (2) and (3).
6. The proviso omitted by Act 35 of 2007, s. 2 (w.e.f. 21-2-2008).
7. Section 2 renumbered as sub-section (1) thereof by Act 35 of 1977, s. 6 (w.e.f. 1-5-1978).
8. Subs. by Act 35 of 2007, s. 3, for clauses (a), (b) and (c) (w.e.f. 21-2-2008).
9. Clauses (3) and (4) lettered as clauses (d) and (e) by Act 35 of 1977, s. 6 (w.e.f. 1-5-1978).
10. Subs. by s. 5, ibid., for “steam-vessel” (w.e.f. 1-5-1978).
*.Vide Notification No. S.O. 3912 (E), dated 30th October, 2019, this Act is made applicable to the Union territory
of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union territory of Ladakh.
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[(f)] “survey” means the survey of a 3
[mechanically propelled vessel] under this Act;
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[(g)] “surveyor” means a surveyor appointed under this Act; and
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[(ga) “tidal water” has the meaning assigned to it in clause (49) of section 3 of the Merchant
Shipping Act, 1958 (44 of 1958);]
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[(h)] “voyage” includes the plying of a 3
[mechanically propelled vessel] at or about any place,
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[(2) Any reference to the Inland Steam-vessels Act, 1917 (1 of 1917), in any law for the time being
in force or in any instrument or other document shall be construed as a reference to the Inland Vessels
Act, 1917].