Appropriation Bills

Quick Summary (TL;DR)

Article 204 (Appropriation Bills): Regulates State Legislative Assemblies (Vidhan Sabha) and Legislative Councils under Part VI.

In Simple Citizen Words

Article 204 ('Appropriation Bills') in Part VI, Chapter III governs the State Legislature (Vidhan Sabha and, where applicable, Vidhan Parishad). It sets the constitutional rules for composition of Assemblies, MLA qualifications/disqualifications, sessions, Speaker/Deputy Speaker duties, passage of State Bills and Budgets, assent to Bills (Arts 200–201), and legislative privileges. Specifically: (1) As soon as may be after the grants under article 203 have been made by the Assembly, there shall be introduced a Bill to provide for the appropriation out of the Consolidated Fund of the State of all moneys required to meet — (a)...

Key Constitutional Provisions

Constitutional Mandate (Art. 204): Directly codifies the legal rule for 'Appropriation Bills' under Part VI

Structured across 3 clause(s) and 2 sub-clause(s) with clear procedural conditions

Any administrative or legislative action violating Article 204 can be challenged before the High Court (Art. 226) or Supreme Court

Exceptions & Reasonable Restrictions

State Legislatures must legislate within the State and Concurrent Lists (Seventh Schedule) and cannot violate Fundamental Rights or constitutional procedures.

Why This Matters in Daily Life

Guarantees democratic law-making and budget scrutiny at the state level through your elected MLAs.

Want deeper legal & historical context? Explore the official Bare Act or Supreme Court Precedents & CAD Debates:

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Dr. B. R. Ambedkar & K. M. Munshi

Drafting Committee Leaders • June 2–3, 1949

🏛️ Constituent Assembly Debates (1946–1949)

Core Constitutional Debate & Dilemma

Framing context for Article 204: Empowering directly elected State Legislative Assemblies (Vidhan Sabhas) over state subjects and budgets while allowing States the option to create or abolish a second chamber (Vidhan Parishad).

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"The Legislative Assembly directly elected by adult franchise is the primary sovereign forum of the people in each State, holding the State Cabinet accountable for every rupee of state revenue."

Assembly Resolution & Final Synthesis

Constitutional resolution in Article 204: Codified Articles 168–213 regulating State Legislatures, flexible creation/abolition of Legislative Councils (Art 169), Money Bill procedures, and time-bound assent to State Bills (Art 200).

🏛️ Constitutional Significance: During the Constituent Assembly deliberations, Article 204 was codified as an integral pillar of India's constitutional governance.

Official Constitutional Text (Gazette Bare Act)

Authoritative statutory text as enacted and amended by Parliament • Clause-by-Clause Statutory Breakdown

India Code • Govt. of India Archive

Clause (1)

As soon as may be after the grants under article 203 have been made by the Assembly, there shall be introduced a Bill to provide for the appropriation out of the Consolidated Fund of the State of all moneys required to meet —

Sub-clause (a)

the grants so made by the Assembly; and

Sub-clause (b)

the expenditure charged on the Consolidated Fund of the State but not exceeding in any case the amount shown in the statement previously laid before the House or Houses.

Clause (2)

No amendment shall be proposed to any such Bill in the House or either House of the Legislature of the State which will have the effect of varying the amount or altering the destination of any grant so made or of varying the amount of any expenditure charged on the Consolidated Fund of the State, and the decision of the person presiding as to whether an amendment is inadmissible under this clause shall be final.

Clause (3)

Subject to the provisions of articles 205 and 206, no money shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund of the State except under appropriation made by law passed in accordance with the provisions of this article.

Public Domain & Statutory Authenticity Notice

Under Section 52(1)(q) of the Indian Copyright Act, 1957, the Constitution of India, Bare Acts of Parliament, Gazette Notifications, and Judicial Judgments of the Supreme Court and High Courts are in the Public Domain. Text is reproduced from the official Legislative Department, Ministry of Law & Justice, Government of India (India Code) archives.

Then vs Now: Constitutional Evolution & Visual Diff

Appropriation Bills

🟢 Original 1950 Text Intact (Zero Textual Repeal) Baseline: Jan 26, 1950 → Today

ORIGINAL BASELINE (1950)

Enacted on 26 January 1950 by the Constituent Assembly of India. The foundational constitutional text of Article 204 (Appropriation Bills) has remained intact since Day 1 without parliamentary deletion or repeal.

CURRENT ENFORCEABLE STATUS (TODAY)

100% Original 1950 Text Enforceable Today: Article 204 (Appropriation Bills): Regulates State Legislative Assemblies (Vidhan Sabha) and Legislative Councils under Part VI.

Key Amendment Milestones & Textual Modifications

Original Enactment by the Constituent Assembly

Year 1950

Why it happened: Crafted by the Founding Fathers & Mothers with enduring constitutional clarity; its core text has stood untouched for over 75 years.

                                    Status: 🟢 Unchanged Since 26 January 1950 — Original Constitutional Mandate Preserved Intact                                

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Emergency Citizen Helplines

Appropriation Bills

Official Constitutional Text (Gazette Bare Act)

Then vs Now: Constitutional Evolution & Visual Diff

Key Amendment Milestones & Textual Modifications