Article 372A

Presidential Power to Adapt Laws for the 1956 State Reorganisation

Official heading: “Power of the President to adapt laws”

Check this article against the official editionAwaiting human legal review

Source edition: The Constitution of India (as on 1 May 2026)
Source locator: Part XXI, Article 372A, printed page 247
Last human source-link check: Not yet checked
Last human legal review: Not yet reviewed

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1. In One Sentence

Empowered the President to make adaptations and modifications to existing laws before 1 November 1957 to facilitate the 1956 linguistic reorganization of States.

2. What It Means in Everyday Language

Inserted by the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956, Article 372A provided a specialized, temporary power to adapt laws following the massive linguistic reorganization of States under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.

Because state boundaries, Part A/B/C classifications, and territories were fundamentally restructured, existing federal and state laws required rapid textual adaptation to prevent administrative dislocation.

The President was empowered to issue Adaptation of Laws Orders prior to 1 November 1957, bringing laws into conformity with the reorganized territories.

Like Article 372, this adaptation power was strictly transitional and did not curtail the permanent power of competent Legislatures to repeal or amend those laws.

3. Practical Illustrative Example

Everyday Scenario:

In 1957, the President issued the Adaptation of Laws Order adapting high court jurisdiction rules across newly reorganized linguistic States.

Core takeaway: Article 372A facilitated smooth legal administration across restructured state borders in 1956–1957.

Illustrative Notice: The presidential adaptation power expired on 1 November 1957; all subsequent legal modifications require legislative enactment.

4. Important Limits, Qualifications & Exceptions

Article 372A was a one-year transitional adaptation clause for state reorganization.

Seventh Amendment reform: Enacted in 1956 for the reorganization of States.
One-year duration: Expired on 1 November 1957.
Preserved legislative power: Did not bar subsequent legislative amendments.

5. Operative Constitutional Text

(1) For the purposes of bringing the provisions of any law in force in India or in any part thereof, immediately before the commencement of the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956, into accord with the provisions of this Constitution as amended by that Act, the President may by order made before the first day of November, 1957, make such adaptations and modifications of the law, whether by way of repeal or amendment, as may be necessary or expedient, and provide that the law shall, as from such date as may be specified in the order, have effect subject to the adaptations and modifications so made, and any such adaptation or modification shall not be questioned in any court of law. (2) Nothing in clause (1) shall be deemed to prevent a competent Legislature or other competent authority from repealing or amending any law adapted or modified by the President under the said clause.

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 372A, printed page 247 • 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