Article 4 - Insertion of new Article 31-A - Constitution (1st Amendment) Act, 1951

Insertion of new Article 31-A. 4. After Article 31 of the Constitution, the following article shall be inserted, and shall be deemed always to have been inserted, namely: Saving of laws providing for acquisition of estates, etc. 31-A. (1) Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of the part, no law providing for the acquisition by the State of any estate or of any rights therein or for the extinguishment or modification of any such rights shall be deemed to be void on the ground that it is inconsistent with, or takes away or abridges any of the rights conferred by, any provisions of this Part: Provided that where such law is a law made by the Legislature of a State, the provisions of this article shall not apply thereto unless such law, having been reserved for the consideration of the President, has received his assent. (2) In this article, (a) the expression estate shall, in relation to any local area, have the same meaning as that expression or its local equivalent has in the existing law relating to land tenures in force in that area and shall also include any jagir, inam or muafi or other similar grant; (b) the expression rights , in relation to an estate shall include any rights vesting in a proprietor, sub-proprietor, under-proprietor, tenure-holder or other intermediary and any rights or privileges in respect of land revenue.