Home The Constitution Part VIII Article 241

Art. 241 Part VIII: The Union Territories

High Courts for Union Territories

Exact text — Constitution of India

(1) Parliament may by law constitute a High Court for a Union territory or declare any court in any such territory to be a High Court for all or any of the purposes of this Constitution.

(2)-(5) [Provisions on the powers and composition of such High Courts, and Parliament's power to extend or exclude the jurisdiction of a High Court of a neighbouring state to a Union Territory instead of establishing a separate one.]

In Plain English

What this Article actually means

This Article gives Parliament flexibility in how Union Territories access High Court-level justice — it can either establish a dedicated High Court for a UT, or simply extend a neighbouring state's High Court's jurisdiction to cover it, rather than requiring every UT to have its own separate High Court.

Why This Matters To You

How it shows up in everyday life

This is why, practically, most smaller UTs don't have their own dedicated High Court — for example, Puducherry falls under the Madras High Court's jurisdiction, and several other UTs are similarly attached to a nearby state's High Court, rather than each needing a separate judicial infrastructure.

Read alongside this one

Art. 214 — High Courts for States

Frequently Asked

Quick answers about Article 241

Does every Union Territory have its own High Court?

No — only Delhi has a fully separate, dedicated High Court; most other UTs fall under the jurisdiction of a neighbouring state's High Court under arrangements made through this Article.

← PreviousArticle 240: President's Power to Make Regulations for Certain Union Territories Next →Article 242: (Repealed) Coorg

The text above reproduces Article 241 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.