📜 Article 259 of the Indian Constitution
Title: Armed Forces in States in Part B of the First Schedule
Part XI – Relations Between the Union and the States
Chapter II – Administrative Relations
⚠️ Important Note: This Article is Repealed
Article 259 was omitted (repealed) by the 7th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1956, when the reorganization of states was done, and Part B states were abolished.
🔍 Background:
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In the original Constitution (1950), India had:
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Part A States (former British provinces),
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Part B States (princely states),
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Part C and D States (smaller states/territories).
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Part B states had special provisions regarding administration, integration, and armed forces.
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Article 259 dealt with the use of armed forces in Part B states and how laws of Parliament would apply in those contexts.
📅 Repeal Details:
| 🔧 Amendment | 🗓️ Year | ⚖️ Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 7th Constitutional Amendment Act | 1956 | Abolished Part A, B, C classification; Article 259 repealed |
🧠 In Simple Words:
Article 259 is no longer in effect. It was originally meant to deal with the application of laws related to armed forces in Part B states, but after state reorganization in 1956, the distinction between Part A, B, and C states was removed, making this Article obsolete.
Here is a 📊 Chart on Article 259 and the Reorganization of States (Repealed Articles Overview) — to help you understand why Article 259 was removed and how it fits in the broader context of state restructuring in India:
📜 Chart: Article 259 and State Reorganization
| 🔢 Article | 🏷️ Topic | ⚖️ Status | 📅 Repealed By | 🧾 Reason for Repeal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Article 259 | Use of Armed Forces in Part B States | ❌ Repealed | 7th Constitutional Amendment (1956) | Part B States were abolished during State Reorganization |
| Article 238 | Special provisions for Part B States | ❌ Repealed | 7th Constitutional Amendment (1956) | Redundant after merging of princely states and removal of Part B |
| First Schedule (Old) | Classification into Part A, B, C, D States | ❌ Repealed/Modified | 7th Amendment | Replaced with new state and UT structure |
🗺️ Original Classification of States (Pre-1956)
| 📂 Category | 🏛️ Included States | 🧠 Description |
|---|---|---|
| Part A | Former British Provinces (e.g., Bombay, Madras) | Directly governed by British before Independence |
| Part B | Princely States (e.g., Hyderabad, Jammu & Kashmir) | Merged into India after independence through agreements |
| Part C & D | Smaller territories & centrally administered regions | Included places like Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar, etc. |
🔁 Impact of the 7th Amendment (1956):
| 🔨 What Changed | 📌 Effect |
|---|---|
| Removed Part A, B, C, D labels | Introduced States and Union Territories uniformly |
| Repealed Articles 238 & 259 | Cleaned up obsolete references to pre-1956 structure |
| Passed the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 | Redrew state boundaries based on linguistic and administrative needs |
🧠 In Simple Words:
Article 259 was useful only before 1956 when India had Part B princely states. Once India reorganized all states equally, it became useless and was repealed.
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