Constitution Of India

THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA 

WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly 

resolved to constitute India into a 1[SOVEREIGN 

SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC] and 

to secure to all its citizens: 

JUSTICE, social, economic and political; 

LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and 

worship; 

EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; 

and to promote among them all 

FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual 

and the 2[unity and integrity of the Nation]; 

IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twentysixth 

day of November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, 

ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS 

CONSTITUTION. 

1Subs. by the Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act, 1976, s. 2, for "SOVEREIGN 

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC" (w.e.f. 3-1-1977). 

2Subs. by s. 2, ibid., for "unity of the Nation" (w.e.f. 3-1-1977). 

Preamble. 

PART I 

THE UNION AND ITS TERRITORY 

1. (1) India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States. 

1[(2) The States and the territories thereof shall be as 

specified in the First Schedule.] 

(3) The territory of India shall comprise- 

(a) the territories of the States; 

2[(b) the Union territories specified in the First 

Schedule; and] 

(c) such other territories as may be acquired. 

2. Parliament may by law admit into the Union, or 

establish, new States on such terms and conditions as it 

thinks fit. 

32A. [Sikkim to be associated with the Union.] Rep. by the 

Constitution (Thirty-sixth Amendment) Act, 1975, s. 5 (w.e.f. 

26-4-1975). 

3. Parliament may by law- 

(a) form a new State by separation of territory 

from any State or by uniting two or more States or 

parts of States or by uniting any territory to a part of 

any State; 

(b) increase the area of any State; 

(c) diminish the area of any State; 

(d) alter the boundaries of any State; 

(e) alter the name of any State: 

4[Provided that no Bill for the purpose shall be 

introduced in either House of Parliament except on the 

recommendation of the President and unless, where the 

proposal contained in the Bill affects the area, boundaries 

Name and territory 

of the Union. 

Admission or 

establishment of 

new States. 

Formation of new 

States and 

alteration of areas, 

boundaries or 

names of existing 

States. 

1Subs. by the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956, s. 2, for cl. (2). 

2Subs. by s. 2, ibid., for sub-clause (b). 

3Article 2A was ins. by the Constitution (Thirty-fifth Amendment) Act, 1974, s. 2 (w.e.f. 

1-3-1975). 

4Subs. by the Constitution (Fifth Amendment) Act, 1955, s. 2, for the proviso. 

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or name of any of the States 1***, the Bill has been referred 

by the President to the Legislature of that State for 

expressing its views thereon within such period as may 

be specified in the reference or within such further period 

as the President may allow and the period so specified or 

allowed has expired.] 

2[Explanation I.-In this article, in clauses (a) to (e), 

"State'' includes a Union territory, but in the proviso, 

"State'' does not include a Union territory. 

Explanation II.-The power conferred on Parliament 

by clause (a) includes the power to form a new State or 

Union territory by uniting a part of any State or Union 

territory to any other State or Union territory.] 

4. (1) Any law referred to in article 2 or article 3 shall 

contain such provisions for the amendment of the First 

Schedule and the Fourth Schedule as may be necessary 

to give effect to the provisions of the law and may also 

contain such supplemental, incidental and consequential 

provisions (including provisions as to representation in 

Parliament and in the Legislature or Legislatures of the 

State or States affected by such law) as Parliament may 

deem necessary. 

(2) No such law as aforesaid shall be deemed to be 

an amendment of this Constitution for the purposes of 

article 368. 

THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA 

(Part I.-The Union and its territory.-Arts. 3-4.) 

Laws made under 

articles 2 and 3 to 

provide for the 

amendment of the 

First and the 

Fourth Schedules 

and supplemental, 

incidental and 

consequential 

matters. 

1The words and letters "specified in Part A or Part B of the First Schedule" omitted by 

the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956, s. 29 and Sch. 

2Ins. by the Constitution (Eighteenth Amendment) Act, 1966, s. 2. 

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PART II 

CITIZENSHIP 

5. At the commencement of this Constitution, every 

person who has his domicile in the territory of India 

and- 

(a) who was born in the territory of India; or 

(b) either of whose parents was born in the territory 

of India; or