Constitution of India · Part XII: Finance, Property, Contracts and Suits · Miscellaneous Financial Provisions
Article 283: Custody, etc., of Consolidated Funds, Contingency Funds and moneys credited to the public accounts
In plain words
The custody of the Consolidated Fund and Contingency Fund of India, payments into and withdrawals from them, and the handling of the public account of India are regulated by law made by Parliament, or until then by the President's rules. The same matters for a State are regulated by State law, or until then by the Governor's rules.
A simplified explanation, prepared with AI assistance from the official text below and checked automatically against it for numbers and cross-references. The official text is the law and prevails over this summary. Not legal advice.
Official text
(1) The custody of the Consolidated Fund of India and the Contingency Fund of India, the payment of moneys into such Funds, the withdrawal of moneys therefrom, the custody of public moneys other than those credited to such Funds received by or on behalf of the Government of India, their payment into the public account of India and the withdrawal of moneys from such account and all other matters connected with or ancillary to matters aforesaid shall be regulated by law made by Parliament, and, until provision in that behalf is so made, shall be regulated by rules made by the President.
(2) The custody of the Consolidated Fund of a State and the Contingency Fund of a State, the payment of moneys into such Funds, the withdrawal of moneys therefrom, the custody of public moneys other than those credited to such Funds received by or on behalf of the Government of the State, their payment into the public account of the State and the withdrawal of moneys from such account and all other matters connected with or ancillary to matters aforesaid shall be regulated by law made by the Legislature of the State, and, until provision in that behalf is so made, shall be regulated by rules made by the Governor *** of the State.
Source: India Code (Legislative Department), the official text of the Constitution of India. As amended up to the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023. Text as on 10 September 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.
Supreme Court judgments citing the article 283
- Ramakrishna Dutta v. Union of India and Ors
- Indore Development Authority v. Manoharlal & Ors. Etc.
- Indore Development Authority v. Shailendra (Dead) Through Lrs. & Ors.
- Narinder Kaur v. Punjab & Haryana High Court & Ors.
- State of Haryana v. Satish Kumar Mittal and Another
- Bhim Singh v. Union of India and Ors.
- T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad v. Union of India and Ors.
- State of Bihar and Anr. v. Bal Mukund Sah and Ors.