Application of sections 85 and 86 to Rulers of former Indian States
Full Text
(1) In the case of any suit by or against the Ruler of any former Indian State which is based wholly or in part upon a cause of action which arose before the commencement of the Constitution or any proceeding arising out of such suit, the provisions of section 85 and sub-sections (1) and (3) of section 86 shall apply in relation to such Ruler as they apply in relation to the Ruler of a foreign State.
(2) In this section—
(a) “former Indian State” means any such Indian State as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify for the purposes of this section;
(b) “Commencement of the Constitution” means the 26th day of January, 1950; and
(c) “Ruler”, in relation to a former Indian State, has the same meaning as in article 363 of the Constitution.
Plain English Summary
Section 87B extends the protections of Section 85 and subsections (1) & (3) of Section 86 (prior Central Government consent for suits and execution) to Rulers of former Indian Princely States, strictly restricted to claims where the cause of action arose prior to the commencement of the Constitution (January 26, 1950).
Key Legal Elements
- Pre-Constitution Cause of Action Restriction: Limited strictly to claims/suits based wholly or in part on causes of action arising before January 26, 1950.
- Application of Sections 85 & 86(1)/(3): Requires Central Government consent to sue former Princely State Rulers or execute decrees against their property for pre-1950 disputes.
- Constitutional Meaning of Ruler: Adopts the definition of 'Ruler' provided under Article 363 of the Constitution of India.
- Post-Constitution Inapplicability: Does not shield former Rulers or legal heirs from ordinary civil litigation for post-1950 contracts, succession, torts, or property disputes.
Practical Note
Princely State Privileges, 26th Constitutional Amendment & Narrow Scope: (1) Historical Context & 26th Amendment (1971): With the abolition of privy purses and princely recognitions via Article 363A, the personal privileges of former rulers ceased. Section 87B was specifically narrowed by Act 54 of 1972 solely to claims arising *before* January 26, 1950. (2) Post-1950 Causes of Action: For any cause of action arising on or after January 26, 1950 (e.g., succession disputes, commercial contracts, tenancy, partition of personal properties), former Rulers or their legal heirs stand on the exact same footing as ordinary Indian citizens; no sanction of the Central Government is required. (3) Rationale: *Maharaj Kumar Tokendra Trikendrajit Singh v. State of Assam (1982)* confirmed that immunity does not apply to post-Constitution private acts.
हिंदी पाठ
(1) किसी भूतपूर्व देशी राज्य के शासक द्वारा या उसके विरुद्ध ऐसे किसी वाद के मामले में, जो पूर्णतः या भागतः ऐसे वादहेतुक पर आधारित है जो संविधान के प्रारंभ से पूर्व उत्पन्न हुआ था, अथवा ऐसे वाद से उत्पन्न होने वाली किसी कार्यवाही के मामले में, धारा 85 के और धारा 86 की उपधारा (1) और (3) के उपबंध ऐसे शासक के संबंध में उसी प्रकार लागू होंगे जैसे वे किसी विदेशी राज्य के शासक के संबंध में लागू होते हैं।
(2) इस धारा में—
(क) “भूतपूर्व देशी राज्य” से ऐसा कोई देशी राज्य अभिप्रेत है जिसे केंद्रीय सरकार, राजपत्र में अधिसूचना द्वारा, इस धारा के प्रयोजनों के लिए विनिर्दिष्ट करे;
(ख) “संविधान का प्रारंभ” से 1950 की 26 जनवरी अभिप्रेत है; और
(ग) किसी भूतपूर्व देशी राज्य के संबंध में “शासक” का वही अर्थ है जो संविधान के अनुच्छेद 363 में है।