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Constitution at a glance
A searchable quick reference to {len(ARTS)} key Articles of the Constitution of India, in plain language.
← Back to home| Article | Title | In plain language | Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Article 12 | Definition of “State” | For Part III, “the State” includes the Government and Parliament, state governments and legislatures, and local and other authorities. | Fundamental Rights |
| Article 13 | Laws inconsistent with Fundamental Rights | Laws that conflict with Fundamental Rights are void to the extent of the inconsistency. | Fundamental Rights |
| Article 14 | Equality before law | The State shall not deny any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws. | Fundamental Rights |
| Article 15 | Prohibition of discrimination | No discrimination on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. Special provisions for women, children and backward classes are permitted. | Fundamental Rights |
| Article 16 | Equality of opportunity in public employment | Equal opportunity in public jobs, with provision for reservation for backward classes not adequately represented. | Fundamental Rights |
| Article 17 | Abolition of untouchability | Untouchability is abolished and its practice in any form is forbidden. | Fundamental Rights |
| Article 18 | Abolition of titles | The State cannot confer titles, apart from military or academic distinctions. | Fundamental Rights |
| Article 19 | Protection of certain freedoms | Citizens have the freedoms of speech and expression, peaceful assembly, association, movement, residence and practising a profession or business, subject to reasonable restrictions. | Fundamental Rights |
| Article 20 | Protection in respect of conviction for offences | No retrospective criminal laws, no double jeopardy, and no compulsion to be a witness against oneself. | Fundamental Rights |
| Article 21 | Protection of life and personal liberty | No person shall be deprived of life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law. Courts have read in fairness, privacy, livelihood and more. | Fundamental Rights |
| Article 21A | Right to education | Free and compulsory education for children aged six to fourteen. | Fundamental Rights |
| Article 22 | Protection against arrest and detention | Rights to be told the grounds of arrest, to consult a lawyer, and to be produced before a magistrate within 24 hours. Special rules apply to preventive detention. | Fundamental Rights |
| Article 23 | Prohibition of trafficking and forced labour | Traffic in human beings and forced labour are prohibited. | Fundamental Rights |
| Article 24 | Prohibition of employment of children | No child below fourteen may be employed in a factory, mine or other hazardous work. | Fundamental Rights |
| Article 25 | Freedom of religion | Freedom of conscience and the right to profess, practise and propagate religion, subject to public order, morality and health. | Fundamental Rights |
| Article 26 | Freedom to manage religious affairs | Religious denominations may manage their own religious affairs and institutions, subject to public order, morality and health. | Fundamental Rights |
| Article 27 | Freedom from taxes for religion | No one can be compelled to pay taxes for promoting a particular religion. | Fundamental Rights |
| Article 28 | Freedom in religious instruction | Limits on religious instruction in State-funded educational institutions. | Fundamental Rights |
| Article 29 | Protection of minorities’ interests | Any section of citizens with a distinct language, script or culture has the right to conserve it. | Fundamental Rights |
| Article 30 | Minorities’ right to educational institutions | Minorities have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice. | Fundamental Rights |
| Article 32 | Right to constitutional remedies | The right to move the Supreme Court to enforce Fundamental Rights, including through writs. | Fundamental Rights |
| Article 36 | Definition of “State” in Part IV | Has the same meaning as in Part III unless the context requires otherwise. | Directive Principles and Duties |
| Article 37 | Application of Directive Principles | Directive Principles are not enforceable by courts, but are fundamental in governing the country. | Directive Principles and Duties |
| Article 39A | Equal justice and free legal aid | The State shall ensure that the legal system promotes justice on the basis of equal opportunity, including free legal aid. | Directive Principles and Duties |
| Article 44 | Uniform civil code | The State shall endeavour to secure a uniform civil code for citizens throughout India. | Directive Principles and Duties |
| Article 48A | Protection of the environment | The State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and safeguard forests and wildlife. | Directive Principles and Duties |
| Article 50 | Separation of judiciary from executive | The State shall take steps to separate the judiciary from the executive in public services. | Directive Principles and Duties |
| Article 51A | Fundamental Duties | A list of duties of every citizen, such as respecting the Constitution, protecting the environment and developing scientific temper. | Directive Principles and Duties |
| Article 52 | The President of India | There shall be a President of India. | Union and Judiciary |
| Article 53 | Executive power of the Union | The executive power of the Union is vested in the President. | Union and Judiciary |
| Article 72 | Power of the President to grant pardons | The President may grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions of punishment and suspend, remit or commute sentences in specified cases. | Union and Judiciary |
| Article 74 | Council of Ministers to aid and advise President | There shall be a Council of Ministers with the Prime Minister at the head to aid and advise the President. | Union and Judiciary |
| Article 79 | Constitution of Parliament | Parliament consists of the President and the two Houses: the Council of States and the House of the People. | Union and Judiciary |
| Article 123 | Power of the President to promulgate ordinances | The President can issue ordinances when Parliament is not in session, if circumstances require immediate action. | Union and Judiciary |
| Article 124 | Establishment of the Supreme Court | Provides for the Supreme Court of India and its judges. | Union and Judiciary |
| Article 129 | Supreme Court as a court of record | The Supreme Court is a court of record with power to punish for contempt of itself. | Union and Judiciary |
| Article 131 | Original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court | The Supreme Court decides certain disputes between the Union and States, or between States, in its original jurisdiction. | Union and Judiciary |
| Article 136 | Special leave to appeal | The Supreme Court may grant special leave to appeal from almost any court or tribunal in India. | Union and Judiciary |
| Article 141 | Law declared by the Supreme Court | The law declared by the Supreme Court is binding on all courts in India. | Union and Judiciary |
| Article 142 | Enforcement of decrees and orders | The Supreme Court can pass such orders as are necessary to do complete justice in a case. | Union and Judiciary |
| Article 143 | Power of the President to consult the Supreme Court | The President may seek the Supreme Court’s advisory opinion on a question of law or fact. | Union and Judiciary |
| Article 161 | Power of the Governor to grant pardons | The Governor may grant pardons and similar relief in matters within the State’s executive power. | Union and Judiciary |
| Article 213 | Power of the Governor to promulgate ordinances | The Governor can issue ordinances when the State Legislature is not in session. | Union and Judiciary |
| Article 214 | High Courts for States | There shall be a High Court for each State. | Union and Judiciary |
| Article 215 | High Courts as courts of record | High Courts are courts of record and can punish for contempt of themselves. | Union and Judiciary |
| Article 226 | Power of High Courts to issue writs | High Courts can issue writs to enforce Fundamental Rights and for any other purpose. | Union and Judiciary |
| Article 227 | Superintendence over courts | Every High Court has superintendence over all courts and tribunals in its territory. | Union and Judiciary |
| Article 245 | Extent of laws made by Parliament and States | Parliament and State Legislatures make laws for their territories, subject to the Constitution. | Other |
| Article 246 | Subject-matter of laws | Divides legislative subjects among the Union, State and Concurrent Lists in the Seventh Schedule. | Other |
| Article 300A | Persons not to be deprived of property save by law | No person shall be deprived of property except by authority of law. This is a constitutional right, not a Fundamental Right. | Other |
| Article 324 | Election Commission | Superintendence, direction and control of elections is vested in the Election Commission. | Other |
| Article 326 | Adult suffrage | Elections to the House of the People and State Assemblies are on the basis of adult suffrage. | Other |
| Article 352 | Proclamation of Emergency | The President can proclaim an Emergency on grounds such as war, external aggression or armed rebellion, subject to conditions. | Emergency and Amendment |
| Article 356 | Failure of constitutional machinery in States | Provides for President’s Rule in a State. The power is subject to judicial review (S.R. Bommai). | Emergency and Amendment |
| Article 360 | Financial Emergency | Provides for a Financial Emergency if the financial stability or credit of India is threatened. | Emergency and Amendment |
| Article 368 | Power of Parliament to amend the Constitution | Parliament may amend the Constitution, but not its basic structure (Kesavananda Bharati). | Emergency and Amendment |
No Articles match that search.
A student summary, not the text. These one-line summaries leave out clauses, provisos and later amendments. Read the actual Article on India Code before citing it. Look up related cases in our case library and test yourself with the constitutional law quiz. Last updated: October 2026.