Constitution of India: Important Articles

Part I

• Articles 1-4 – The Union and its territory.

Part II

• Articles 5-11 – Citizenship

Part III

Articles 12-35 – Fundamental Rights

Article 12

• Definition

Article 13

• Laws inconsistent with or in derogation of the fundamental rights

Articles 14-18 – Right to Equality

• Article 14 – Equality before the law

• Article 15 – Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth

• Article 16 – Equality of opportunity in matters of public employment

• Article 17 – Abolition of untouchability

• Article 18 – Abolition of titles

Articles 19-22 – Right to Freedom

• Article 19 – Protection of certain rights regarding freedom of speech, etc.

• Article 20 – Protection in respect of conviction for offences.

• Article 21 – Protection of life and personal liberty

• Article 21A – Right to education

• Article 22 – Protection against arrest and detention in certain cases

Articles 23-24 – Right against Exploitation

• Article 23 – Prohibition of traffic in human beings and forced labour

• Article 24 – Prohibition of employment of children in factories, etc.

Articles 25-28 – Right to Freedom of Religion

• Article 25 – Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice, and propagation of religion

• Article 26 – Freedom to manage religious affairs

• Article 27 – Freedom as to payment of taxes for promotion of any particular religion

• Article 28 – Freedom as to attendance at religious instruction or religious worship in certain educational institutions

Articles 29-30 – Cultural and Educational Rights

• Article 29 – Protection of the interests of minorities

• Article 30 – Right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions

Saving of Certain Laws

• Article 31A – Saving of laws providing for acquisition of estates, etc.

• Article 31B – Validation of certain Acts and Regulations

• Article 31C – Saving of laws giving effect to certain directive principles

Articles 32-35 – Right to Constitutional Remedies

• Article 32 – Remedies for enforcement of rights conferred by this Part

• Article 33 – Power of Parliament to modify the rights conferred by this Part in their application to Forces etc.

• Article 34 – Restriction on rights conferred by this Part while martial law is in force in any area

• Article 35 – Legislation to give effect to the provisions of this Part

Part IV

Articles 36-51

• Article 36 – Definition

• Article 37 – Application of the principles contained in this Part

• Article 38 – State to secure a social order for the promotion of the welfare of the people

• Article 39 – Certain principles of policy to be followed by the State

• Article 39A – Equal justice and free legal aid

• Article 40 – Organisation of village Panchayats

• Article 41 – Right to work, to education, and public assistance in certain cases

• Article 42 – Provision for just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief

• Article 43 – Living wage, etc, for workers

• Article 43A – Participation of workers in the management of industries

• Article 43B – The State shall endeavour to promote voluntary formation, autonomous functioning, democratic control, and professional management of co-operative societies.

• Article 44 – Uniform Civil Code for the citizens

• Article 45 – Provision for early childhood care and education to children below the age of six years

• Article 46 – Promotion of educational and economic interest of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and other weaker sections

• Article 47 – Duty of the State to raise the level of nutrition and the standard of living and to improve public health

• Article 48 – Organisation of agriculture and animal husbandry

• Article 48A – Protection and improvement of the environment and safeguarding of forests and wildlife

• Article 49 – Protection of monuments and places, and objects of national importance

• Article 50 – Separation of judiciary from executive

• Article 51 – Promotion of international peace and security

Part IVA

Article 51A

• Fundamental Duties

Part V – The Union

Chapter 1:

Articles 52-78 – The Executive

• Article 52 – The President of India

• Article 53 – Executive power of the Union

• Article 54 – Election of President

• Article 61 – Procedure for impeachment of the President

• Article 63 – The Vice-President of India

• Article 64 – The Vice-President to be ex officio Chairman of the Council of States

• Article 65 – The Vice-President to act as President or to discharge his functions during casual vacancies in the office, or the absence of the President

• Article 66 – Election of Vice-President

• Article 72 – Power of President to grant pardons, etc, and to suspend, remit or commute sentences in certain cases

• Article 74 – Council of Ministers to aid the President

• Article 76 – Attorney General for India

• Article 77 – Conduct of business of the Government of India

• Article 78 – Duties of Prime Minister as respects the furnishing of information to the President, etc

Chapter 2:

Articles 79-122 – Parliament

• Article 79 – Constitution of Parliament

• Article 80 – Composition of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha)

• Article 81 – Composition of the House of the People (Lok Sabha)

• Article 83 – Duration of Houses of Parliament

• Article 84 – Qualification for membership of Parliament

• Article 85 – Sessions of Parliament, prorogation and dissolution

• Article 86 – Right of the President to address and send messages to the Houses

• Article 87 – Special address by the President

• Article 88 – Rights of Ministers and Attorney General as respects Houses

• Article 89 – The Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Council of States

• Article 90 – Vacation and resignation of and removal from the office of Deputy Chairman

• Article 93 – The Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of the People

• Article 94 – Vacation and resignation of, and removal from, the offices of Speaker and Deputy Speaker

• Article 95 – Power of the Deputy Speaker or other person to perform the duties of the office of, or to act as, Speaker

• Article 98 – Secretariat of Parliament

• Article 99 – Oath or affirmation by members

• Article 100 – Voting in Houses, power of Houses to act notwithstanding vacancies and quorum

• Article 105 – Powers, privileges, etc of the Houses of Parliament and the members and committees thereof

• Article 106 – Salaries and allowances of members

• Article 107 – Provisions as to introduction and passing of Bills

• Article 108 – Joint sitting of both Houses in certain cases

• Article 109 – Special procedure in respect of Money Bills

• Article 110 – Definition of 'Money Bills'

• Article 111 – Assent to Bills

• Article 112 – Annual financial statement (Budget)

• Article 113 – Procedure in Parliament concerning estimates

• Article 114 – Appropriation Bills

• Article 115 – Supplementary, additional, or excess grants

• Article 116 – Votes on account, votes of credit, and exceptional grants

• Article 117 – Special provisions as to financial Bills

• Article 118 – Rules of procedure

• Article 119 – Regulation by law of procedure in Parliament with financial business

• Article 120 – Language to be used in Parliament

• Article 121 – Restriction on discussion in Parliament

• Article 122 – Courts not to inquire into proceedings of Parliament

Chapter 3:

Article 123

• Article 123 – Power of the President to promulgate Ordinances during recess of Parliament

Chapter 4:

Articles 124-147 – The Union Judiciary

• Article 124 – Establishment and Constitution of the Supreme Court

• Article 125 – Salaries etc. of Judges

• Article 126 – Appointment of acting Chief Justice (in the Supreme Court)

• Article 127 – Appointment of ad hoc Judges (in the Supreme Court)

• Article 128 – Attendance of retired Judge at sittings of the Supreme Court

• Article 129 – Supreme Court to be a Court of record

• Article 130 – Seat of Supreme Court

• Article 131 – Original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court

• Article 132 – Appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court in appeals from the High Court in certain cases

• Article 133 – Appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court in appeals from the High Court regarding civil matters

• Article 134 – Appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court regarding criminal matters

• Article 134A – Certificate for appeal to the Supreme Court

• Article 135 – Jurisdiction and powers of the Federal Court under existing law to be exercisable by the Supreme Court

• Article 136 – Special leave to appeal by the Supreme Court

• Article 137 – Review of judgments or orders by the Supreme Court

• Article 138 – Enlargement of the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court

• Article 141 – Law declared by the Supreme Court to be binding on all Courts

• Article 143 – Power of the President to consult the Supreme Court

• Article 144 – Civil and judicial authorities to act in aid of the Supreme Court

Lokpal

A Lokpal is an 'Ombudsman' in India. It has jurisdiction over all members of Parliament (MPs), the Prime Minister (with certain exceptions), ministers, and all Civil servants, etc, in cases of corruption. Lokpal is empowered to sanction prosecution.

Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill 2011

• The amended 'Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill 2011' was passed by the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha on 17th and 18th December, 2013, respectively. The Samajwadi Party opposed the Bill.

Selection Committee & Approval

• A high-level selection committee led by the Prime Minister had recommended the appointments for the chairperson and members of the Lokpal.

• The President approved the appointments.

First Lokpal Appointment

• President Ram Nath Kovind had on the 23rd March, 2019, administered the oath of office to Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose as the country's first Lokpal.

• Justice Ghose, 66, retired as a Supreme Court judge in May 2017.

• He last served as a member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

Oath of Newly Appointed Members

• All eight newly-appointed members of the anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal on the 27th March 2019 took the oath of office.

• They were administered the oath by Lokpal chairperson Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose.

New Lokpal

Former Supreme Court judge Justice Ajay Manikrao Khanwilkar was administered the oath of office as the chairperson of Lokpal by President Draupadi Murmu on March 10, 2024.

The post was vacant following the retirement of Pinaki Chandra Ghose on May 27, 2022. The Judicial member Justice Pradip Kumar Mohanty was serving as acting chairperson from May 28, 2022.

Newly Appointed Members

Newly appointed judicial and non-judicial members are-

• Judicial Members:

  • Justice Lingappa Narayan Swamy

  • Justice Sanjay Yadav

  • Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi

• Non-Judicial Members:

  • Sushil Chandra

  • Pankaj Kumar

  • Ajay Tirkey

Lokayukta

• The Institution of 'Ombudsman' is typically Scandinavian.

• The office of Ombudsman has been in existence since 1809 in Sweden, [also in Finland (Since 1919), Denmark (1955), Norway, and New Zealand (1962)].

• Maharashtra is the first state in India to introduce the concept of Lokayukta and Upa-Lokayuktas Act, 1971, in view of the recommendations made by the Administrative Reforms Commission headed by Morarji Desai in 1966.

• The Maharashtra Lokayukta Institution came into being on 25th October, 1972.

Chapter 5:

Article 148-151

• Art. 148 – Comptroller and Auditor-General of India

• Art. 149 – Duties and powers of the Comptroller and Auditor-General

Part VI: The States

Article 152-237

• The Government at the State level:

  • The Executive

  • The State Legislature

  • The High Courts

  • Subordinate Courts

Part VII

Article 238

• The States in Part B of the First Schedule

Part VIII

Article 239-241

• The Union Territories

Part IX

Articles 243 to 243-O

• The Panchayats

Part IXA

Article 243-P to 243-ZG

• The Municipalities

Part IXB

Article 243-ZH to 243-ZT

• The Co-operative Societies

Part X

Article 244-244A

• The Scheduled and Tribal Areas

Part XI

Article 245-263

• Relations between The Union and The States

Part XII

• Article 264-300 – Finance, property, contracts and suits; Distribution of revenue between Union and States; Finance Commission;

  • Borrowing

  • Property

  • Contracts

  • Rights

  • Liabilities

  • Obligations

  • Suits

• Art. 268 – Taxes are levied and collected by the centre but distributed between the centre and the states.

• Art. 300A – Right to Property

Part XIII

Article 301-307

• Trade, commerce, and intercourse within India

Part XIV

Article 308-323

• Art. 308 – Services Under The Union and The States

• Art. 309 – Recruitment and conditions of service of persons serving the Union or a State

• Art. 310 – Tenure of office of persons serving the Union or a State

• Art. 311 – Dismissal, removal, or reduction in rank of persons employed in civil capacities under the Union or a State

• Art. 312 – All-India Services

• Art. 315 – Public Service Commissions for the Union and the States

• Art. 316 – Appointment and term of office of members

• Art. 317 – Removal and suspension of a member of a Public Service Commission

• Art. 318 – Power to make regulations as to conditions of service of members and staff of the Commission

• Art. 320 – Functions of Public Service Commissions

• Art. 321 – Power to extend functions of Public Service Commissions

• Art. 323 – Reports of Public Service Commissions

Part XIVA

Article 323A-323B

• Tribunals

Part XV

Article 324-329 – Elections

• Art. 324 – Superintendence, direction, and control of elections to be vested in an Election Commission

• Art. 325 – No person to be ineligible for inclusion in, or to claim to be included in, a special electoral roll on grounds of religion, race, caste, or sex

• Art. 326 – Elections to the House of the People and to the Legislative Assemblies of States to be based on adult suffrage.

• Art. 327 – Power of Parliament to make provision concerning elections to legislatures

• Art. 328 – Power of Legislature of a State to make provision concerning elections to such Legislature

• Art. 329 – Bar to interference by Courts in electoral matters

Part XVI

Article 330-342

• Special provisions for certain classes

Part XVII

Article 343-351

• Official languages

Part XVIII

Article 352-360 – Emergency Provisions

• Art. 352 – Proclamation of National Emergency

• Art. 356 – Proclamation of State Emergency

• Art. 360 – Proclamation of Financial Emergency

Part XIX

Article 361-367 – Miscellaneous

• Art. 361A – Protection of publication of proceedings of Parliament and State Legislatures

• Art. 363 – Bar to interference by courts in disputes arising out of certain treaties, agreements, etc.

• Art. 363A – Recognition granted to Rulers of Indian States to cease, and privy purses to be abolished

• Art. 364 – Special provisions as to major ports and aerodromes

• Art. 365 – Effect of failure to comply with, or to give effect to, directions given by the Union

Part XX

Article 368

• Amendment of the Constitution

Part XXI

Article 369-392

• Temporary, Transitional, and Special Provisions—Special status of States

Declaration under Article 370 (3)

In exercise of the powers conferred by Clause (3) of Article 370 read with Clause (1) of Article 370 of the Constitution of India, the President, on the recommendation of Parliament, is pleased to declare that, as from the 5th August, 2019, all clauses of the said Article 370 shall cease to be operative except the following which shall read as under, namely-

"370. All provisions of this Constitution, as amended from time to time, without any modifications or exceptions, shall apply to the State of Jammu and Kashmir notwithstanding anything contrary contained in article 152 or article 308 or any other article of this Constitution or any other provision of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir or any law, document, judgement, ordinance, order, by-law, rule, regulation, notification, custom or usage having the force of law in the territory of India, or any other instrument, treaty or agreement as envisaged under article 363 or otherwise."

Part XXII

Article 393-395

• Short Title, Commencement, Authoritative text in Hindi, and Repeals

Schedules of the Indian Constitution

The Constitution of India, at the time of its adoption, had only eight Schedules to which four more were added during the succeeding sixty-five years.

List of Schedules in the Constitution of India

• 1st Schedule: 28 States and 8 Union Territories with Territorial demarcations

• 2nd Schedule

  • Part 'A': Salary and emoluments of the President and Governors of the States

  • Part 'B': Omitted

  • Part 'C': Salary and emoluments of the Speaker/Deputy Speaker or Chairman/Vice Chairman of the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and State Legislative Assemblies or Councils.

  • Part 'D': Salary and emoluments of the judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts

  • Part 'E': Salary and emoluments of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India

• 3rd Schedule: Forms of oath and affirmations of members of legislatures, ministers, and judges.

• 4th Schedule: Allocation of seats to States and Union Territories in the Rajya Sabha.

• 5th Schedule: Administration and control of Scheduled Areas and STs.

• 6th Schedule: Administration of Tribal Areas of North-Eastern States

• 7th Schedule: Distribution of power between the Union and the State Government (Union List, State List, and Concurrent List).

• 8th Schedule: Description of 22 languages recognised by the Constitution.

• 9th Schedule: Validation of certain Acts and Regulations

• 10th Schedule: Provisions as to disqualification on the ground of defection (Anti-defection Law introduced by the 52nd Constitutional Amendment Act). This Schedule followed the latest developments by the 91st amendment to the Constitution in 2003.

• 11th Schedule: Powers, authority, and responsibilities of Panchayats, 29 subjects over which the Panchayats have jurisdiction (refer to the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act).

• 12th Schedule: Powers, authority, and responsibilities of Municipalities, 18 subjects over which the Municipalities have jurisdiction (refer to the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act).

Final Thoughts

The Constitution of India stands as the supreme law of the land, shaping the political, legal, and administrative framework of the country. From the Preamble to Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles, and Fundamental Duties, every Part and Article ensures democracy, justice, equality, and liberty for all citizens. The Schedules further strengthen governance by defining territories, powers, languages, administration of tribal areas, and local bodies.

Over time, provisions like Article 370 and the Anti-Defection Law have shown how the Constitution adapts to changing needs. Institutions like the Lokpal and Lokayukta uphold accountability and transparency in governance.

Borrowing features from various global constitutions, India’s Constitution blends federalism, judicial independence, fundamental rights, and social justice seamlessly. With amendments keeping it dynamic, it remains the guardian of citizens’ rights while guiding the Union and States. Understanding its Articles, Parts, and Schedules empowers every citizen to appreciate its role in nation-building.

Ultimately, the Constitution acts as a unifying force for India’s diversity, ensuring democratic values and inclusive growth for generations to come.