Home The Constitution Part XII Article 294

Art. 294 Part XII: Finance, Property, Contracts and Suits

Succession to Property, Assets, Rights, Liabilities and Obligations in Certain Cases

Exact text — Constitution of India

As from the commencement of this Constitution—(a) all property and assets which immediately before such commencement were vested in His Majesty for the purposes of the Government of the Dominion of India and all property and assets which immediately before such commencement were vested in His Majesty for the purposes of the Government of each Governor's Province shall vest respectively in the Union and the corresponding State, and (b) all rights, liabilities and obligations of the Government of the Dominion of India and of the Government of each Governor's Province... shall be the rights, liabilities and obligations respectively of the Government of India and the Government of each corresponding State...

In Plain English

What this Article actually means

This Article handled the fundamental legal transfer of colonial-era government property and legal obligations to the new independent Indian state — everything previously vested in the British Crown 'for the purposes of' governing India automatically transferred to the Union and the corresponding states upon the Constitution's commencement, ensuring seamless legal continuity rather than a governance and property-ownership vacuum.

Why This Matters To You

How it shows up in everyday life

This Article is why India's government today can trace clean legal title to government buildings, land, and other assets going back through this specific constitutional succession, rather than there being any legal gap in ownership at the moment of independence and the Constitution's commencement.

Read alongside this one

Art. 395 — Repeals

Frequently Asked

Quick answers about Article 294

Did this transfer require any separate legal action by the new Indian government?

No — this Article accomplished the transfer automatically 'as from the commencement of this Constitution', without needing any separate conveyance or additional legal formality.

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The text above reproduces Article 294 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.