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THE CONSTITUTION, MADE UNDERSTANDABLE

Article 300
Suits and proceedings

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26 Parts12 Schedules506 indexed article entries, including historical omissions
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Source edition: as on 1 May 2026. Omitted and struck-down reference entries remain labelled. Open the authoritative PDF ↗

Article 300 / Part XII

Suits and proceedings

included in edition
Plain languageOfficial textPurpose & sources
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THE PLAIN-LANGUAGE GUIDE

What does this mean?

The Union and States can sue and be sued under the stated names and legal continuity rules. This provides the constitutional framework for government participation in legal proceedings.

Taxes, government funds, financial sharing, property, borrowing, contracts and legal proceedings.

PURPOSE & CONTEXT

Why is this provision here?

Public assets and obligations need an identifiable legal owner and rules for government economic activity or litigation. This Article resolves the particular issue 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 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.

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Read the official constitutional text
300. Suits and proceedings.—(1) The Government of India may sue or be sued by the name of the Union of India and the Government of a State may sue or be sued by the name of the State and may, subject to any provisions which may be made by Act of Parliament or of the Legislature of such State enacted by virtue of powers conferred by this Constitution, sue or be sued in relation to their respective affairs in the like cases as the Dominion of India and the corresponding Provinces or the corresponding Indian States might have sued or been sued if this Constitution had not been enacted. (2) If at the commencement of this Constitution— (a) any legal proceedings are pending to which the Dominion of India is a party, the Union of India shall be deemed to be substituted for the Dominion in those proceedings; and (b) any legal proceedings are pending to which a Province or an Indian State is a party, the corresponding State shall be deemed to be substituted for the Province or the Indian State in those proceedings.
Source-page notes · may concern neighbouring Articles

1. The words "or the Rajpramukh" omitted by the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956, s. 29 and Sch. (w.e.f. 1-11-1956). 2. The words "nor the Rajpramukh" omitted by s. 29 and Sch., ibid. (w.e.f. 1-11-1956). 3. Ins. by the Constitution (Forty-fourth Amendment) Act, 1978, s. 34 (w.e.f. 20-6-1979).

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.