Article 4 deals with laws made under Article 2 and Article 3, and their incidental provisions. It explains how Parliament can make supplementary provi

Article 4 of the Indian Constitution – Explained in Detail

The Indian Constitution, known for its depth and flexibility, contains detailed provisions about how the Indian Union can be altered or expanded. One such important but often overlooked provision is Article 4. It acts as a crucial link between Article 2 and Article 3, which deal with the admission of new states and the reorganization of existing ones.

In this blog post, we’ll explain what Article 4 of the Indian Constitution means, its importance, implications, and how it has been interpreted by courts.

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📜 What is Article 4 of the Indian Constitution?

Article 4 deals with laws made under Article 2 and Article 3, and their incidental provisions. It explains how Parliament can make supplementary provisions related to the admission or formation of new states and alteration of boundaries.

🔹 Text of Article 4:

Article 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 as Parliament may deem necessary.

Article 4 (2): No such law as aforesaid shall be deemed to be an amendment of this Constitution for the purposes of Article 368.

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🧠 Explanation of Article 4

Article 4 has two key components:

1. Automatic Amendments to Schedules

• When Parliament passes a law under Article 2 (admission/establishment of new states) or Article 3 (alteration of states), it automatically updates the First Schedule (which lists the states and union territories of India) and the Fourth Schedule (which lists Rajya Sabha seat allocation).

• This means there's no need to use Article 368 (which requires a constitutional amendment) to make these changes.

2. Not a Constitutional Amendment

• Such changes to the Constitution (like modifying the names or boundaries of states) do not count as constitutional amendments.

• Parliament can pass these changes by a simple majority, and not the special procedure needed for other constitutional amendments.

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🏛️ Importance of Article 4

• It gives Parliament power to reorganize states or create new ones without amending the Constitution formally.

• Helps maintain flexibility and practicality in the governance of India’s federal structure.

• Speedy implementation of new state formation or boundary alteration laws.

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🧾 Real-Life Examples of Article 4 in Action

🔹 Creation of Telangana (2014)

• The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 was passed under Article 3 and supplemented under Article 4.

• The First Schedule was updated to include Telangana.

• Parliament didn’t invoke Article 368 – instead, used powers under Article 4.

🔹 Jammu & Kashmir Reorganization (2019)

• Jammu & Kashmir was reorganized into two union territories: J&K and Ladakh.

• The First Schedule was amended automatically as part of this law.

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⚖️ Judicial Interpretation of Article 4

In the case of Mangal Singh v. Union of India (1966):

• The Supreme Court held that a law made under Article 3, which also amended the First and Fourth Schedules, does not require a constitutional amendment.

• This confirmed that such laws are valid without following the Article 368 procedure.

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🗺️ Relation with First and Fourth Schedules

• First Schedule: Contains names and details of States and Union Territories.

• Fourth Schedule: Contains the number of Rajya Sabha seats allocated to each state.

Article 4 ensures that when Parliament makes territorial or structural changes to states, these Schedules are automatically updated.

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⚠️ Limitations of Article 4

• Only applies to changes under Article 2 and Article 3.

• Cannot be used to amend other parts of the Constitution, like Fundamental Rights or Directive Principles.

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✍️ Conclusion

Article 4 of the Indian Constitution plays a crucial role in the dynamic structure of India’s federal system. It allows Parliament to efficiently reorganize state boundaries, form new states, or adjust parliamentary seat allocations without undergoing a complex amendment process.

This makes the Indian Constitution both rigid and flexible—rigid in its fundamental features, but flexible in administrative adjustments.

For law aspirants and UPSC/State PSC candidates, understanding Article 4 helps build a strong conceptual base in Indian Polity.