Article 198

Special Procedure in Respect of Money Bills

Official heading: “Special procedure in respect of Money Bills .”

Check this article against the official editionAwaiting human legal review

Source edition: The Constitution of India (as on 1 May 2026)
Source locator: Part VI, Article 198, printed pages 89–90
Last human source-link check: Not yet checked
Last human legal review: Not yet reviewed

Open official PDF at this article Report a text or source error

AI-assisted source comparisons are noted with the citations below; the check date remains pending until a human confirms the link. The report link opens your email app; you choose whether to send it.

1. In One Sentence

Article 198 prescribes the special procedure for Money Bills in the State Legislature, barring their introduction in the Legislative Council and giving the Council only fourteen days to suggest recommendations.

2. What It Means in Everyday Language

Article 198 governs the passage of Money Bills in bicameral State Legislatures, mirroring the parliamentary Money Bill procedure of Article 109.

Exclusive Origination in Assembly: A Money Bill cannot be introduced in the Legislative Council; it must originate in the Legislative Assembly.

Fourteen-Day Council Window: After being passed by the Assembly, a Money Bill is transmitted to the Legislative Council, which must return it within fourteen days with its recommendations.

Assembly Primacy: The Legislative Assembly may either accept or reject any of the Council's recommendations. If accepted, the bill is deemed passed with those amendments; if rejected (or if the Council fails to return the bill within 14 days), the bill is deemed passed in the form passed by the Assembly, and sent directly to the Governor.

3. Practical Illustrative Example

Everyday Scenario:

The Legislative Council seeks to delay a State budget appropriation bill by refusing to put it to a vote.

Core takeaway: Under Article 198(5), once fourteen days elapse from the date of transmission, the Money Bill is automatically deemed passed by both Houses, completely nullifying the delay.

Illustrative Notice: The Council has only advisory power; it cannot amend or defeat a Money Bill.

4. Important Limits, Qualifications & Exceptions

Article 198 enforces total fiscal supremacy of the directly elected Legislative Assembly.

Prohibits origination of Money Bills in the Legislative Council.
Council's powers confined to non-binding recommendations within 14 days.
Assembly may accept or reject recommendations at its sole discretion.
Deemed passage upon expiration of fourteen days prevents financial paralysis.

5. Operative Constitutional Text

(1) A Money Bill shall not be introduced in a Legislative Council. (2) After a Money Bill has been passed by the Legislative Assembly of a State having a Legislative Council, it shall be transmitted to the Legislative Council for its recommendations, and the Legislative Council shall within a period of fourteen days from the date of its receipt of the Bill return the Bill to the Legislative Assembly with its recommendations, and the Legislative Assembly may thereupon either accept or reject all or any of the recommendations of the Legislative Council. (3) If the Legislative Assembly accepts any of the recomm endations of the Legislative Council, the Money Bill shall be deemed to have been passed by both Houses with the amendments recommended by the Legislative Council and accepted by the Legislative Assembly. (4) If the Legislative Assembly does not accept any of the recommendations of the Legislative Council, the Money Bill shall be deemed to have been passed by both Houses in the form in which it was passed by the Legislative Assembly without any of the amendments recommended by the Legislative Council. (5) If a Money Bill passed by the Legislative Assembly and transmitted to the Legislative Council for its recommendations is not returned to the Legislative Assembly within the said period of fourteen days, it shall be deemed to have been passed by both Houses at the expiration of the said period in the form in which it was passed by the Legislative Assembly.

Transcription for reference; compare with the linked official editionNot yet verified by a human legal reviewer

6. Sources & Historical Assembly Deliberations

Assembly quotations are withheld until wording, dates, and attribution have been checked against the primary record.

Sources & Citation Metadata

•
Constitutional TextThe Constitution of India (as on 1 May 2026)Cited PDF page
Government of India (Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice) • Part VI, Article 198, printed pages 89–90 • Human source-link check pending
Primary PDF accessed and transcribed with AI assistance on 14 October 2026. Formatting and amendment annotation markers are omitted; operative wording is retained. This is not human legal review. Later amendments and commencement notifications have not been comprehensively checked.

Human legal review is pending; compare the text with the cited editionNon-partisan educational resource