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| What is Article 372 of Indian constitution |
Article 372 of the Indian Constitution deals with the continuance of existing laws and their adaptation after the commencement of the Constitution. It is part of the Transitional Provisions.
🔎 Text Summary of Article 372 (Simplified):
| Clause | Description |
|---|---|
| Clause (1) | All laws in force in India before the commencement of the Constitution (i.e., before 26 January 1950) shall continue to be in force until amended or repealed by a competent authority (like Parliament or State Legislature). |
| Clause (2) | The President of India can make necessary adaptations or modifications to these laws through an order, to bring them in line with the Constitution. However, this power is limited to 3 years from the commencement of the Constitution. |
| Clause (3) | The term “law in force” includes laws passed or made by any authority or person before the Constitution came into effect (such as British-era laws, ordinances, orders, rules, etc.). |
📘 Purpose of Article 372:
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To ensure legal continuity and avoid a legal vacuum after India became a republic.
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Allowed India to retain British-era laws until Parliament could replace or modify them.
🧾 Example:
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Indian Penal Code, 1860, CrPC, Civil Procedure Code — all continued under Article 372 even though they were colonial laws.
🏛️ Key Point:
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Without Article 372, all pre-1950 laws would have become invalid, causing administrative and legal chaos.
Here is a flowchart of Article 372 of the Indian Constitution in a simplified and visual format:
📊 Flowchart: Article 372 – Continuance of Existing Laws
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Article 372: Continuance of Existing Laws │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Laws existing before 26 January 1950 │
│ (British-era Acts, Rules, Ordinances, etc.)│
└────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ These laws continue to be in force │
│ AFTER the Constitution commenced │
└────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Can be amended, repealed, or modified │
│ by: Parliament or Competent Authority │
└────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PRESIDENT'S POWER (Temporary) │
│ Can adapt/modify existing laws │
│ To make them consistent with Constitution │
└────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ This power lasts for 3 years from │
│ the commencement of the Constitution │
└────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ "Law in force" includes: │
│ All laws, rules, notifications, etc. │
│ made by any authority before 26 Jan 1950 │
└────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Here is a timeline of Article 372 showing key events and its application after the adoption of the Constitution:
📅 Timeline: Article 372 – Continuance of Existing Laws
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| Before 1947 | British Parliament and authorities enact various laws in India (e.g., IPC 1860, CrPC 1898). |
| 15 Aug 1947 | India becomes independent. The Indian Independence Act, 1947 comes into effect. |
| 26 Jan 1950 | Constitution of India comes into force. • Article 372(1): All existing laws remain valid. • Article 372(2): President empowered to make adaptations. |
| 1950–1953 | The President issues adaptation orders to modify pre-existing laws to align them with the Constitution (e.g., replacing “Governor-General” with “President”). |
| 26 Jan 1953 | President’s power under Article 372(2) ends after 3 years. |
| 1950s–Present | Parliament and state legislatures repeal, replace, or modify many colonial laws (e.g., CrPC 1973 replacing CrPC 1898). |
| Present | Some pre-1950 laws like IPC 1860, Indian Evidence Act 1872 still continue with amendments under the protection of Article 372. |
📝 Note:
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Article 372 ensured legal continuity post-independence.
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It prevented a legal vacuum by allowing British-era laws to remain until democratically replaced.
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