Article 371D

Local Cadres, Educational Reservations, and Administrative Tribunals in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

Official heading: “Special provisions with respect to the State of Andhra Pradesh or the State of Telangana”

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Source edition: The Constitution of India (as on 1 May 2026)
Source locator: Part XXI, Article 371D, printed pages 236–240
Last human source-link check: Not yet checked
Last human legal review: Not yet reviewed

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1. In One Sentence

Authorizes local cadre organization, regional quotas in public employment and education, and administrative tribunals across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

2. What It Means in Everyday Language

Inserted by the Constitution (Thirty-second Amendment) Act, 1973 following the historic "Six-Point Formula" to resolve regional tensions between Andhra and Telangana, Article 371D was adapted by the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 to apply to both successor States.

Clause (1) empowers the President to provide for equitable opportunities and facilities for people belonging to different parts of the State in public employment and education.

Clause (2) authorizes the President to organize civil posts into local cadres and specify local quotas for recruitment and college admissions (the Presidential Order on Local Cadres).

Clause (3) authorized an Administrative Tribunal for civil service disputes. (Note: Clause 5, which gave the State government power to annul tribunal decisions, was struck down by the Supreme Court in P. Sambamurthy (1987) for violating judicial review).

Under clause (10), the provisions of Article 371D and presidential orders made thereunder operate notwithstanding anything in the Constitution or any other law.

3. Practical Illustrative Example

Everyday Scenario:

A student in Telangana applies for medical college admission under regional local candidate reservation criteria.

Core takeaway: Article 371D(2)(b) authorizes reservation of educational seats and government jobs in favor of local candidates from specific zones.

Illustrative Notice: Following the 2014 bifurcation, Article 371D applies independently to both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

4. Important Limits, Qualifications & Exceptions

Article 371D provides an entrenched regional affirmative action framework for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Six-Point Formula origin: Enacted in 1973 to safeguard local youth opportunities across Rayalaseema, Coastal Andhra, and Telangana.
Local cadre organization: Directs public service recruitment through zonal and district local cadres.
Non-obstante clause: Overrides conflicting constitutional provisions to insulate local reservation orders.
Judicial review of tribunals: P. Sambamurthy established that tribunal orders cannot be overturned by the state executive.

5. Operative Constitutional Text

(1) The President may by order made with respect to the State of Andhra Pradesh or the State of Telangana provide, having regard to the requirements of each State, for equitable opportunities and facilities for the people belonging to different parts of such State, in the matter of public employment and in the matter of education, and different provisions may be made for various parts of the State. (2) An order made under clause (1) may, in particular,— (a) require the State Government to organise any class or classes of posts in a civil service of, or any class or classes of civil posts under, the State into different local cadres for different parts of the State and allot in accordance with such principles and procedure as may be specified in the order the persons holding such posts to the local cadres so organised; (b) specify any part or parts of the State which shall be regarded as the local area— (i) for the purpose of direct recruitment to posts in any local cadre; (ii) for the purpose of admission to any University within the State or to any other educational institution which is subject to the control of the State Government; (c) specify the extent to which, the manner in which and the conditions subject to which, preference or reservation shall be given or made in the matter of direct recruitment or admission. (3) The President may, by order, provide for the constitution of an Administrative Tribunal for the State of Andhra Pradesh and the State of Telangana to exercise such jurisdiction, powers and authority as may be specified in the order with respect to civil services and posts. (10) The provisions of this article and of any order made by the President thereunder shall have effect notwithstanding anything in any other provision of this Constitution or in any other law for the time being in force.

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

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Constitutional TextThe Constitution of India (as on 1 May 2026)Cited PDF page
Government of India (Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice) • Part XXI, Article 371D, printed pages 236–240 • 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