Home The Constitution Part XIV Article 314

Art. 314 Part XIV: Services Under the Union and the States

(Repealed) Provision for Protection of Existing Officers of Certain Services

Exact text — Constitution of India

[This Article, which originally gave certain specific protections to officers who had been appointed under the pre-1950 Secretary of State's authority (a category of senior colonial-era civil servants), became largely spent as those officers retired or their careers concluded, and was formally omitted by the 28th Amendment, 1972.]

In Plain English

What this Article actually means

This Article addressed a narrow, one-time transitional concern — protecting the specific service conditions of civil servants who had been appointed by the Secretary of State for India before 1950 (under British colonial administration), during their remaining careers within independent India's new constitutional framework. Once this specific category of officers had all retired, the Article had nothing left to protect.

Why This Matters To You

How it shows up in everyday life

This is now purely a historical footnote, illustrating how the Constitution's framers carefully managed continuity for existing civil servants during India's transition from colonial to independent governance, with provisions designed to naturally expire once their protective purpose was fulfilled.

Read alongside this one

Art. 313 — Transitional Provisions

Frequently Asked

Quick answers about Article 314

Why was this Article eventually removed rather than just becoming dormant?

Once every officer it was designed to protect had retired or their service concluded, Parliament formally removed the now-entirely-spent provision through the 28th Amendment, tidying up the constitutional text.

← PreviousArticle 313: Transitional Provisions Next →Article 315: Public Service Commissions for the Union and for the States

The text above reproduces Article 314 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.