Article 70 of the Indian Constitution is a flexible provision that empowers Parliament to make rules or laws regarding how the duties of the President shall be carried out in certain unforeseen situations.
📜 Text of Article 70 (Simplified)
“Parliament may by law make provision for the discharge of the functions of the President in any contingency not provided for in this Chapter.”
✅ Explanation of Article 70
| Element | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To handle unexpected constitutional gaps or situations related to the President’s office |
| Who makes provision? | Parliament (through legislation or law) |
| When is it used? | When the Constitution doesn’t already explain how to handle a situation regarding the President |
| Examples | If both the President and Vice-President are unavailable (e.g., death, illness, removal, etc.), Parliament can decide who will temporarily act |
🛡️ Why Article 70 is Important
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Provides constitutional flexibility
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Prevents constitutional crises
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Ensures continuity of the executive even in rare and unforeseen cases
🔍 Example Scenario
Imagine a case where:
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Both the President and Vice-President’s offices are vacant, and
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There’s no clear line of succession
👉 In such cases, Parliament can, under Article 70, make a law specifying who shall perform the functions temporarily (e.g., the Chief Justice of India or any other authority).
📌 Summary of Article 70
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Type | Enabling provision |
| Power given to | Parliament |
| Purpose | To handle rare or undefined contingencies regarding the President’s duties |
| Ensures | Smooth functioning of government even in extraordinary situations |
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