Votes on account, votes of credit and exceptional grants

Quick Summary (TL;DR)

Article 206 (Votes on account, votes of credit and exceptional grants): Regulates State Legislative Assemblies (Vidhan Sabha) and Legislative Councils under Part VI.

In Simple Citizen Words

Article 206 ('Votes on account, votes of credit and exceptional grants') in Part VI, Chapter III governs the State Legislature (Vidhan Sabha and, where applicable, Vidhan Parishad). It sets the constitutional rules for composition of Assemblies, MLA qualifications/disqualifications, sessions, Speaker/Deputy Speaker duties, passage of State Bills and Budgets, assent to Bills (Arts 200–201), and legislative privileges. Specifically: (1) Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of this Chapter, the Legislative Assembly of a State shall have power — (a) to make any grant in advance in respect of the estimated expenditure for a part of any financial year...

Key Constitutional Provisions

Constitutional Mandate (Art. 206): Directly codifies the legal rule for 'Votes on account, votes of credit and exceptional grants' under Part VI

Structured across 3 clause(s) and 3 sub-clause(s) with clear procedural conditions

Any administrative or legislative action violating Article 206 can be challenged before the High Court (Art. 226) or Supreme Court

Exceptions & Reasonable Restrictions

State Legislatures must legislate within the State and Concurrent Lists (Seventh Schedule) and cannot violate Fundamental Rights or constitutional procedures.

Why This Matters in Daily Life

Guarantees democratic law-making and budget scrutiny at the state level through your elected MLAs.

Want deeper legal & historical context? Explore the official Bare Act or Supreme Court Precedents & CAD Debates:

⚖️

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar & K. M. Munshi

Drafting Committee Leaders • June 2–3, 1949

🏛️ Constituent Assembly Debates (1946–1949)

Core Constitutional Debate & Dilemma

Framing context for Article 206: Empowering directly elected State Legislative Assemblies (Vidhan Sabhas) over state subjects and budgets while allowing States the option to create or abolish a second chamber (Vidhan Parishad).

“

"The Legislative Assembly directly elected by adult franchise is the primary sovereign forum of the people in each State, holding the State Cabinet accountable for every rupee of state revenue."

Assembly Resolution & Final Synthesis

Constitutional resolution in Article 206: Codified Articles 168–213 regulating State Legislatures, flexible creation/abolition of Legislative Councils (Art 169), Money Bill procedures, and time-bound assent to State Bills (Art 200).

🏛️ Constitutional Significance: During the Constituent Assembly deliberations, Article 206 was codified as an integral pillar of India's constitutional governance.

Official Constitutional Text (Gazette Bare Act)

Authoritative statutory text as enacted and amended by Parliament • Clause-by-Clause Statutory Breakdown

India Code • Govt. of India Archive

Clause (1)

Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of this Chapter, the Legislative Assembly of a State shall have power —

Sub-clause (a)

to make any grant in advance in respect of the estimated expenditure for a part of any financial year pending the completion of the procedure prescribed in article 203 for the voting of such grant and the passing of the law in accordance with the provisions of article 204 in relation to that expenditure;

Sub-clause (b)

to make a grant for meeting an unexpected demand upon the resources of the State when on account of the magnitude or the indefinite character of the service the demand cannot be stated with the details ordinarily given in an annual financial statement;

Sub-clause (c)

to make an exceptional grant which forms no part of the current service of any financial year; and the Legislature of the State shall have power to authorise by law the withdrawal of moneys from the Consolidated Fund of the State for the purposes for which the said grants are made.

Clause (2)

The provisions of articles 203 and 204 shall have effect in relation to the making of any grant under clause (1) and to any law to be made under that clause as they have effect in relation to the making of a grant with regard to any expenditure mentioned in the annual financial statement and the law to be made for the authorisation of appropriation of moneys out of the Consolidated Fund of the State to meet such expenditure.

Public Domain & Statutory Authenticity Notice

Under Section 52(1)(q) of the Indian Copyright Act, 1957, the Constitution of India, Bare Acts of Parliament, Gazette Notifications, and Judicial Judgments of the Supreme Court and High Courts are in the Public Domain. Text is reproduced from the official Legislative Department, Ministry of Law & Justice, Government of India (India Code) archives.

Then vs Now: Constitutional Evolution & Visual Diff

Votes on account, votes of credit and exceptional grants

🟢 Original 1950 Text Intact (Zero Textual Repeal) Baseline: Jan 26, 1950 → Today

ORIGINAL BASELINE (1950)

Enacted on 26 January 1950 by the Constituent Assembly of India. The foundational constitutional text of Article 206 (Votes on account, votes of credit and exceptional grants) has remained intact since Day 1 without parliamentary deletion or repeal.

CURRENT ENFORCEABLE STATUS (TODAY)

100% Original 1950 Text Enforceable Today: Article 206 (Votes on account, votes of credit and exceptional grants): Regulates State Legislative Assemblies (Vidhan Sabha) and Legislative Councils under Part VI.

Key Amendment Milestones & Textual Modifications

Original Enactment by the Constituent Assembly

Year 1950

Why it happened: Crafted by the Founding Fathers & Mothers with enduring constitutional clarity; its core text has stood untouched for over 75 years.

                                    Status: 🟢 Unchanged Since 26 January 1950 — Original Constitutional Mandate Preserved Intact                                

Article 205 Ask Nyaya Saarthi AI About This Article Article 207

Emergency Citizen Helplines

Votes on account, votes of credit and exceptional grants

Official Constitutional Text (Gazette Bare Act)

Then vs Now: Constitutional Evolution & Visual Diff

Key Amendment Milestones & Textual Modifications