Article 31A of CoI : Article 31A: Saving Of Laws Providing For Acquisition Of Estates, Etc.

Explanation using Example

Imagine a government in India decides to build a dam to provide water for irrigation and electricity generation. The dam's reservoir will submerge some villages, requiring the state to acquire land from the local landowners. Under Article 31A of the Constitution of India, the state can enact a law to acquire this land without the law being challenged on the grounds of violating the rights guaranteed under Article 14 (equality before the law) or Article 19 (protection of certain rights regarding freedom of speech, etc.).

However, if the land being acquired is under personal cultivation and within the ceiling limit (maximum amount of land one person can legally own), the state must ensure that the compensation for acquiring such land is not less than its market value. The state's law for acquiring this land must be assented to by the President if it is a state legislature law.