Part I of the Indian Constitution (Articles 1 to 4) - The Union and its Territory

Vocabulary flashcards covering Articles 1–4: name and territory, admission/establishment of states, formation/alteration of states, and the schedule-related provisions.

Article 1 — Name and Territory of the Union

India is named India or Bharat; the Union includes all states, all Union Territories, and any future acquisitions.

Union of States

A federation where states cannot secede; the Union is not formed by a treaty among states.

First Schedule

List of all States and Union Territories; updates reflect changes in territory or status.

Article 2 — Admission or Establishment of New States

Parliament may admit new states or establish a new state; includes examples like Sikkim (1975) and Goa (1987).

Admission vs Establishment

Admission = adding a state that wasn’t part of India before; Establishment = forming a new state from Indian territory.

Article 3 — Formation of New States and Alteration of Areas, Boundaries or Names

Parliament can form, alter, merge, split, or rename states; the President refers the proposal to the State Legislatures for their opinion, which is advisory.

Presidential Reference (Article 3)

Before introducing a Bill under Article 3, the President sends it to the concerned State Legislature for its opinion; opinion is not binding.

Examples under Article 3

Telangana (2014); Uttarakhand (2000) are examples of states formed or altered under these provisions.

Article 4 — Ancillary Provisions

Laws under Articles 2 and 3 provide for amendments to the First and Fourth Schedules; these are not Constitutional Amendments.

'Fourth Schedule'

Allocates Rajya Sabha seats to each state; updates occur with changes in states or boundaries.

Simple Law vs Constitutional Amendment

Changes under Article 4 are by simple law and do not require the Article 368 constitutional amendment procedure.

Key Exam Concept — Summary

India = Bharat; Union of States; Parliament controls territorial changes; Presidential opinion is advisory; Article 4 updates use simple law, not Article 368.