Home The Constitution Part XIX Article 362

Art. 362 Part XIX: Miscellaneous

(Repealed) Rights of Rulers of Indian States

Exact text — Constitution of India

[This Article, which originally required due regard to any guarantee or assurance given to a former Ruler of an Indian State under any covenant or agreement regarding their personal rights, privileges and dignities, became irrelevant once official recognition of these Rulers and their privy purses was ended by the 26th Amendment, 1971, and was formally omitted at that time.]

In Plain English

What this Article actually means

This Article originally protected specific personal guarantees made to the rulers of India's former princely states as part of the agreements that brought their territories into independent India — a politically sensitive but practically necessary set of promises made during the 1947-49 integration process. Once the 26th Amendment abolished official recognition of these Rulers and their associated privy purses (government payments) in 1971, this Article no longer had anything meaningful left to protect and was removed.

Why This Matters To You

How it shows up in everyday life

This is now a purely historical Article, but it's a reminder of how India's constitutional integration of hundreds of former princely states in the late 1940s required carefully negotiated legal guarantees — guarantees the Constitution itself formally ended, by amendment, once the political consensus shifted 20 years later.

Read alongside this one

Art. 363a — Recognition of Rulers Ceases; Privy Purses Abolished

Frequently Asked

Quick answers about Article 362

Why were the privy purses abolished in 1971?

The government, under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, moved to end these payments and formal recognitions as part of a broader push toward economic and social equality, arguing that continuing to pay former royal families from public funds was inconsistent with India's egalitarian constitutional values.

← PreviousArticle 361B: Disqualification for Appointment on Remunerative Political Post Next →Article 363: Bar to Interference by Courts in Disputes Arising Out of Certain Treaties, Agreements, etc.

The text above reproduces Article 362 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.