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THE CONSTITUTION, MADE UNDERSTANDABLE

Article 231
Establishment of a common High Court for two or more States

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Source edition: as on 1 May 2026. Omitted and struck-down reference entries remain labelled. Open the authoritative PDF ↗

Article 231 / Part VI

Establishment of a common High Court for two or more States

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Plain languageOfficial textPurpose & sources
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THE PLAIN-LANGUAGE GUIDE

What does this mean?

Parliament can establish a common High Court for two or more States or a combination of States and a Union territory. The Article adapts related appointment and administrative references for that arrangement.

State Governors, ministers, legislatures, High Courts and the subordinate judiciary.

PURPOSE & CONTEXT

Why is this provision here?

The High Court system needs defined judicial offices, jurisdiction and administrative safeguards to carry out the specific role described above.

Historical evidence

This Article number belongs to the original constitutional framework, but its present wording may include later amendments or substitutions. A provision-specific original Assembly debate has not been verified here. The explanation of function above is editorial inference from the text, not an attributed single motive of the framers. The original draft-making archive is a research resource, not proof of a particular historical reason. The later amendment records linked below document changes affecting this Article; their Bill statements explain those proposals, not necessarily every original clause or the complete present legal outcome.

The explanation of purpose is an editorial reading of the provision. A drafting motive is attributed only where a linked historical source supports it.

Limits, exceptions & reading carefully

Educational summary of the linked source text. Exceptions, provisos, implementing laws and applicable judgments must be read before applying it to a real case.

Amendment references
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Read the official constitutional text
231. Establishment of a common High Court for two or more States.— (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the preceding provisions of this Chapter, Parliament may by law establish a common High Court for two or more States or for two or more States and a Union territory. (2) In relation to any such High Court,— (a)* * * * * (b) the reference in article 227 to the Governor shall, in relation to any rules, forms or tables for subordinate courts, be construed as a reference to the Governor of the State in which the subordinate courts are situate; and (c) the references in articles 219 and 229 to the State shall be construed as a reference to the State in which the High Court has its principal seat: Provided that if such principal seat is in a Union territory, the references in articles 219 and 229 to the Governor, Public Service Commission, Legislature and Consolidated Fund of the State shall be construed respectively as references to the President, Union Public Service Commission, Parliament and Consolidated Fund of India.]
Source-page notes · may concern neighbouring Articles

1. Sub-clause (a) was omitted by the Constitution (Ninety-ninth Amendment) Act, 2014, s. 10 (w.e.f. 13-4-2015). This amendment has been struck down by the Supreme Court vide its order the 16-10-2015 in the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association and Another Vs. Union of India reported AIR 2016 SC 117. Before amendment, "(a) the reference in article 217 to the Governor of the State shall be construed as reference to the Governors of all the States in relation to which the High Court exercises jurisdiction".

Extracted from the Legislative Department’s May 2026 edition. Page footnotes may refer to neighbouring provisions; check their markers in the PDF. Inclusion in this edition does not by itself establish commencement or judicial effect.