Constitution Section 294 — Succession to property, assets, rights, liabilities and obligations in certain cases

Part XII — FINANCE, PROPERTY, CONTRACTS AND SUITS — CHAPTER III.—PROPERTY, CONTRACTS, RIGHTS, LIABILITIES,

Constitutional

Summary

When the Constitution came into effect, all property and assets that had belonged to the British King for the Government of the Dominion of India and for each Governor’s Province were transferred to the Union of India and the corresponding State, respectively. Similarly, all rights, debts, and duties of the Dominion of India and each Governor’s Province—whether from contracts or other sources—became the rights, debts, and duties of the Government of India and the corresponding State. This transfer is subject to any adjustments needed because of the creation of Pakistan and the provinces of West Bengal, East Bengal, West Punjab, and East Punjab before the Constitution began.

Official Text

As from the commencement of this Constitution—

(a) all property and assets which immediately before such commencement were vested in His Majesty for the purposes of the Government of the Dominion of India and all property and assets which immediately before such commencement were vested in His Majesty for the purposes of the Government of each Governor’s Province shall vest respectively in the Union and the corresponding State; and

(b) all rights, liabilities and obligations of the Government of the Dominion of India and of the Government of each Governor's Province, whether arising out of any contract or otherwise, shall be the rights, liabilities and obligations respectively of the Government of India and the Government of each corresponding State,subject to any adjustment made or to be made by reason of the creation before the commencement of this Constitution of the Dominion of Pakistan or of the Provinces of West Bengal, East Bengal, West Punjab and East Punjab.