Part I - The Union and its Territory • Article

Article 4 Simplified: Laws made under articles 2 and 3 to provide for the amendment of the First and the Fourth Schedules and supplemental, incidental and consequential matters

Article 4 says that when Parliament creates a new state, it can automatically update the list of states without a complicated amendment process.

Official Text

(1) Any law referred to in article 2 or article 3 shall contain such provisions for the amendment of the First Schedule and the Fourth Schedule as may be necessary to give effect to the provisions of the law and may also contain such supplemental, incidental and consequential provisions (including provisions as to representation in Parliament and in the Legislature or Legislatures of the State or States affected by such law) as Parliament may deem necessary. (2) No such law as aforesaid shall be deemed to be an amendment of this Constitution for the purposes of article 368.

Simple Meaning

Article 4 says that when Parliament creates a new state, it can automatically update the list of states without a complicated amendment process.

Explain Like Ten

When a new state is created, some other rules (like the list of states and number of leaders) need to change too. Article 4 makes sure those changes happen automatically without a big, difficult fight.

Student Mode

Mandates that laws made under Article 2 or 3 must provide for the amendment of the First and Fourth Schedules. Crucially, such laws are NOT considered 'Amendments' under Article 368.

Example

When the state of Uttarakhand was created in 2000, Parliament used Article 4 to automatically update the 'First Schedule' (the list of states) and the 'Fourth Schedule' (the number of seats in Rajya Sabha) so the new state could function immediately.

Key Takeaway

Parliament can adjust state seat counts easily when new states are formed.

FAQs

Is an Article 4 law a constitutional amendment?

No. Clause (2) explicitly states it is not a 'deemed amendment' under Article 368, meaning it only needs a simple majority.

What is the Fourth Schedule?

It is the list that tells us how many Rajya Sabha (Upper House) seats each state gets.