Part IX
Article 243

Definitions

In this Part, unless the context otherwise requires,—

(a) “district” means a district in a State;

(b) “Gram Sabha” means a body consisting of persons registered in the electoral rolls relating to a village comprised within the area of Panchayat at the village level;

(c) “intermediate level” means a level between the village and district levels specified by the Governor of a State by public notification to be the intermediate level for the purposes of this Part;

(d) “Panchayat” means an institution (by whatever name called) of self-government constituted under article 243B, for the rural areas;

(e) “Panchayat area” means the territorial area of a Panchayat;

(f) “Population” means the population as ascertained at the last preceding census of which the relevant figures have been published;

(g) “village” means a village specified by the Governor by public notification to be a village for the purposes of this Part and includes a group of villages so specified.

Version 1

Article 215, Draft Constitution 1948

(1) Any territory specified in Part IV of the First Schedule and any other territory comprised within the territory of India but not specified in that Schedule shall be administered by the President acting, to such extent as he thinks fit, through a Chief Commissioner or other authority to be appointed by him.

(2) The President may make regulations for the peace and good government of any such territory and any regulation so made may repeal or amend any law made by Parliament or any existing law which is for the time being applicable to such territory and, when promulgated by the President, shall have the same force and effect as an Act of Parliament which applies to such territory.

Version 2

Article 243, Constitution of India 1950

(1) Any territory specified in Part D of the First Schedule and any other territory comprised within the territory of India but not specified in that Schedule shall be administered by the President acting, to such extent as he thinks fit, through a Chief Commissioner or other authority to be appointed by him.

⁠(2) The President may make regulations for the peace and good government of any such territory and any regulation so made may repeal or amend any law made by Parliament or any existing law which is for the time being applicable to such territory and, when promulgated by the President, shall have the same force and effect as an Act of Parliament which applies to such territory.

Summary

Draft Article 215 (Article 243) of the Draft Constitution, 1948 was about territories within Part IV of First Schedule of the Draft Constitution. An amendment to the Draft Article was moved by a member on 16  September, 1949.Under the proposed amendment, such territories were to be under the direct or indirect control of the President. The President shall have the power to move any part of the Union of India to Part IV of First Schedule and make any rule or regulation to ensure peace over the territory. This amendment was adopted without much debate.

The original Part IX was omitted by the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956.

Article 243 as it is today, was inserted by way of the Constitution (Seventy Third) Amendment Act, 1992.