Part XII
Article 290

Adjustment in respect of certain expenses and pensions

Where under the provisions of this Constitution the expenses of any court or Commission, or the pension payable to or in respect of a person who has served before the commencement of this Constitution under the Crown in India or after such commencement in connection with the affairs of the Union or of a State, are charged on the Consolidated Fund of India or the Consolidated Fund of a State, then, if —

(a) in the case of a charge on the Consolidated Fund of India, the court or Commission serves any of the separate needs of a State, or the person has served wholly or in part in connection with the affairs of a State; or

(b) in the case of a charge on the Consolidated Fund of a State, the court or Commission serves any of the separate needs of the Union or another State, or the person has served wholly or in part in connection with the affairs of the Union or another State,

there shall be charged on and paid out of the Consolidated Fund of the State or, as the case may be, the Consolidated Fund of India or the Consolidated Fund of the other State, such contribution in respect of the expenses or pension as may be agreed, or as may in default of agreement be determined by an arbitrator to be appointed by the Chief Justice of India.

VERSION 1

Draft Article 267, Draft Constitution of India 1948

Where under the provisions of this Constitution the expenses of any court or Commission, or pensions payable to or in respect of a person who has served before the commencement of this Constitution under the Crown in India, are charged on the revenues of India or the revenues of a State for the time being specified in Part I of the First Schedule, then if-

(a) In the case of a charge on the revenues of India, the court or Commission serves any of the separate needs of a State so specified, or the person has served wholly or in part in connection with the affairs of such a State; or 

(b) In the case of a charge on the revenues of a State so specified, the court or Commission serves any of the separate needs of the Union or another State so specified, or the person has served wholly or in part in connection with the affairs of the Union or another such State, 

there shall be charged on and paid out of the revenues of the State or, as the case may be, the revenues of India or of the other State, such contribution in respect of expenses or pensions as may be agreed, or as may in default of agreement be determined by an arbitrator to be appointed by the Chief Justice of India.

VERSION 2

Article 290, Constitution of India 1950

Where under the provisions of this Constitution the expenses of any court or Commission, or the pension payable to or in respect of a person who has served before the commencement of this Constitution under the Crown in India or after such commencement in connection with the affairs of the Union or of a State, are charged on the Consolidated Fund of India or the Consolidated Fund of a State, then, if—

(a) in the case of a charge on the Consolidated Fund of India, the court or Commission serves any of the separate needs of a State, or the person has served wholly or in part in connection with the affairs of a State; or
(b) in the case of a charge on the Consolidated Fund of a State, the court or Commission serves any of the separate needs of the Union or another State, or the person has served wholly or in part in connection with the affairs of the Union or another State,

there shall be charged on and paid out of the Consolidated Fund of the State. 

SUMMARY

Draft Article 267 (Article 290, Constitution of India 1950) was debated on 10 August 1949. It stated that the expenses of any court, commission or person that has served wholly or partially for the State or Union, will be charged on and paid out of the revenues of the Union or the State.

A few Members moved amendments to change certain expressions used in the Draft Article which would not largely affect the objective of the Draft Article. One Member moved an amendment to substitute a tribunal for an arbitrator. None of the amendments were passed by the Assembly. There was no further discussion on the Draft Article.

It was adopted on the same day.