Indian Constitution Articles 1-20 : Key Concepts & Examples

🇮🇳 Articles 1-20 of Indian Constitution: Union, Citizenship, and Fundamental Rights

This table outlines the crucial Articles spanning Part I (The Union and its Territory), Part II (Citizenship), and the beginning of Part III (Fundamental Rights), up to Article 20.

Article	Key Point	Short Explanation	Example/Context	Related Fact
Article 1	Name and Territory of India	Declares India as a Union of States and specifies its territory (States, UTs, and acquired territories).	India includes 28 states and 8 Union Territories.	Establishes India as a sovereign entity.
Article 2	Admission/New States	Allows Parliament to admit or establish new states into the Union of India.	Sikkim became a state in 1975 (36th Amendment).	Pertains to territories not previously part of India.
Article 3	Formation of States	Empowers Parliament to form new states (from existing ones), alter boundaries, or rename existing states.	Telangana (2014) was formed by splitting Andhra Pradesh.	Requires the President's recommendation.
Article 4	Laws for Art. 2 and 3	Laws made under Articles 2 and 3 are not considered constitutional amendments under Article 368.	The process for creating Chhattisgarh(2000) was a simple majority law.	Ensures smooth, simpler state reorganization.
Part II: Citizenship (Articles 5-11)
Article 5	Citizenship at Commencement	Defines who were considered citizens of India at the Constitution’s commencement (Jan 26, 1950).	People born in India, or those domiciled there.	Covers initial citizens; subsequent citizenship handled by law.
Article 9	Voluntary Citizenship Loss	Disallows dual citizenship: acquiring citizenship of another country automatically terminates Indian citizenship.	An Indian citizen acquiring U.S. citizenship.	Reinforced in the Citizenship Act, 1955.
Article 11	Regulation of Citizenship	Empowers Parliament to regulate citizenship rights through law.	The Citizenship Act, 1955, was enacted using this power.	Parliament holds the supreme legislative power over citizenship.
Part III: Fundamental Rights (Articles 12-35)
Article 12	Definition of State	Defines "State" to which Fundamental Rights apply (Govt., Parliament, local authorities, PSUs, etc.).	Includes the Central and State Governments, and local bodies like Municipalities.	A crucial article for the applicability of rights.
Article 13	Laws Inconsistent with FRs	Declares laws inconsistent with or in derogation of Fundamental Rights as void.	Basis for Judicial Review in India.	Grants the judiciary the power to strike down laws.
Article 14	Right to Equality	Ensures Equality before Law and Equal Protection of Laws.	Forms the basis for anti-discrimination laws.	A foundational pillar of the Constitution.
Article 15	Prohibition of Discrimination	Prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth.	Exceptions allow for special provisions for women, children, or backward classes.	Part of the Right to Equality (Arts 14-18).
Article 16	Equality in Public Employment	Ensures equal opportunity in matters of public employment.	Provisions for SC/ST/OBC reservation policies are allowed.	Balances equality with affirmative action.
Article 17	Abolition of Untouchability	Abolishes untouchability and forbids its practice in any form.	Enforced through the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955.	One of the most significant social reform articles.
Article 18	Abolition of Titles	Prohibits titles except for military and academic distinctions.	Recipients of Padma Awards cannot use them as titles.	Prevents the creation of a closed aristocracy.
Article 19	Right to Freedom	Guarantees six freedoms: speech, assembly, association, movement, residence, and profession.	Includes Freedom of the Press (under speech) and the right to protest peacefully.	Subject to reasonable restrictions (e.g., public order, security).
Article 20	Protection in Criminal Law	Provides protection against: ex post facto laws, double jeopardy, and self-incrimination.	You cannot be punished twice for the same offense.	Ensures fairness and due process in criminal justice.

Note: Articles 6, 7, 8, and 10 primarily deal with transitionary or specific citizenship situations and are less frequently tested than Articles 5, 9, and 11, which define the principles of citizenship.