Except as otherwise provided in section 61-07-16, the board or other officers of the district may not incur any debt or liability whatever, either by issuing bonds or otherwise, in excess of the express provisions of this title, and any debt or liability incurred in excess of such express provisions shall be and remain absolutely void.
61-07-22. Commencement of special proceedings to confirm contracts, special assessment, or other action. The board of any irrigation district organized under the provisions of this title, before issuing any bonds or improvement warrants of such district, shall, and in its discretion, before making any contract or levying any assessment or taking any special action, may, commence a special proceeding in and by which the proceedings of such board and of such district, the making of any contract or the levying of any assessment or the taking of any special action, shall be judicially examined, approved, and confirmed, or disapproved and disaffirmed.
61-07-23. Petition by board for court to examine and approve contracts or assessments - Contents of petition. The board of an irrigation district, if deemed advisable, may file, or cause to be filed, in the district court of any county in which the lands of the district are situated, a petition praying that the proceedings had for the issuance of bonds or improvement warrants, or that the proceedings had preliminary to the making of any contract or for levying assessments or taking any special action, be examined, approved, and confirmed by the court. Such petition shall state the facts concerning the proceedings had for the issuance of bonds or improvement warrants, the making of any contract, levying any assessment, or any special action, of the board, as the case may be, and shall state generally that the irrigation district was organized and that the directors were elected and qualified, but the petition need not set forth the proceedings resulting in the organization of the district or the election of the directors.