Home The Constitution Part III Article 31B

Art. 31B Part III: Fundamental Rights

Validation of Certain Acts and Regulations

Exact text — Constitution of India

Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions contained in article 31A, none of the Acts and Regulations specified in the Ninth Schedule nor any of the provisions thereof shall be deemed to be void, or ever to have become void, on the ground that such Act, Regulation or provision is inconsistent with, or takes away or abridges any of the rights conferred by, any provisions of this Part, and notwithstanding any judgment, decree or order of any court or Tribunal to the contrary, each of the said Acts and Regulations shall, subject to the power of any competent Legislature to repeal or amend it, continue in force.

In Plain English

What this Article actually means

This Article creates the Ninth Schedule — a special list of laws Parliament has declared immune from challenge under Part III's Fundamental Rights, no matter what a court might otherwise say. It was originally meant for land reform laws, but over the decades, over 280 laws on various subjects were added to it, some controversially, since it effectively let Parliament put a law beyond judicial review just by listing it there.

Why This Matters To You

How it shows up in everyday life

This is why, historically, laws placed in the Ninth Schedule couldn't be challenged in court for violating your Fundamental Rights — though as the next FAQ explains, this immunity is no longer absolute for laws added after a specific date.

Landmark Cases

How courts have interpreted this Article

I.R. Coelho v. State of Tamil Nadu(2007) 2 SCC 1 — A landmark ruling holding that laws added to the Ninth Schedule AFTER 24 April 1973 (the date of the Kesavananda Bharati judgment) can still be tested against the Constitution's 'basic structure' — significantly limiting this Article's protective shield going forward. Verify this case

Read alongside this one

Art. 31A — Saving of Laws Providing for Acquisition of Estates Art. 368 — Amendment of the Constitution

Frequently Asked

Quick answers about Article 31B

Can any law placed in the Ninth Schedule today escape all judicial review?

Not fully — following I.R. Coelho (2007), laws added after 24 April 1973 remain subject to a 'basic structure' review, even though Article 31B still shields them from ordinary Part III challenges.

← PreviousArticle 31A: Saving of Laws Providing for Acquisition of Estates Next →Article 31C: Saving of Laws Giving Effect to Certain Directive Principles

The text above reproduces Article 31B of the Constitution of India as amended to date, for general educational reference. It is public-domain legislative text, but we recommend cross-checking the authoritative version at legislative.gov.in or india.gov.in before relying on it for a legal matter. The explanation, examples and FAQs are general information, not legal advice — consult a qualified advocate for guidance on your specific situation.