What is Article 115 of Indian Constitution – Defination & Meaning

Article 115: Supplementary, additional or excess grants (1) The President shall— (a) if the amount authorised by any law made in accordance with the
📅 Part V – The Union
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Article Number

115

part

Part V – The Union

Status

Active

Bare Acts Text

Article 115: Supplementary, additional or excess grants

  • (1) The President shall—
    • (a) if the amount authorised by any law made in accordance with the provisions of article 114 to be expended for a particular service for the current financial year is found to be insufficient for the purposes of that year or when a need has arisen during the current financial year for supplementary or additional expenditure upon some new service not contemplated in the annual financial statement for that year, or
    • (b) if any money has been spent on any service during a financial year in excess of the amount granted for that service and for that year,
  • cause to be laid before both the Houses of Parliament another statement showing the estimated amount of that expenditure or cause to be presented to the House of the People a demand for such excess, as the case may be.
  • (2) The provisions of articles 112, 113 and 114 shall have effect in relation to any such statement and expenditure or demand and also to any law to be made authorising the appropriation of moneys out of the Consolidated Fund of India to meet such expenditure or the grant in respect of such demand as they have effect in relation to the annual financial statement and the expenditure mentioned therein or to a demand for a grant and the law to be made for the authorisation of appropriation of moneys out of the Consolidated Fund of India to meet such expenditure or grant.
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Full Definition & Explanation

Article 115 of the Indian Constitution deals with supplementary, additional, or excess grants. It allows the President to present a statement before both Houses of Parliament if the funds allocated for a specific service in the current financial year are insufficient or if new expenditure arises. This means that if the government needs more money than what was initially budgeted, the President can request additional funds. This is necessary for ensuring that key services continue to operate smoothly, even if unexpected costs arise during the fiscal year. The article also outlines the procedure for handling any excess expenditure. If a department spends more than the amount granted for that service, the President is required to present a demand for this excess expenditure. This ensures accountability and transparency in government spending. It allows Parliament to review and approve any additional funding needed, ensuring that taxpayers’ money is spent wisely. In practical terms, this article affects various government departments. For example, if a natural disaster occurs and the government needs to allocate more funds for relief operations, Article 115 provides a mechanism to quickly secure those funds. This helps the government respond to emergencies without delays caused by bureaucratic processes. The requirement for Parliament’s approval also helps maintain a check on government spending, which is key for good governance and public trust.

Historical Context

It allows the President to present a statement before both Houses of Parliament if the funds allocated for a specific service in the current financial year are insufficient or if new expenditure arises. This means that if the government needs more money than what was initially budgeted, the President can request additional funds. This is necessary for ensuring that key services continue to operate smoothly, even if unexpected costs arise during the fiscal year. The article also outlines the procedure for handling any excess expenditure.

Key Features

– The President can request additional funds when expenditures exceed budgeted amounts.
– Supplementary grants can be made for unforeseen needs during the financial year.
– Parliament must approve any demand for excess expenditure presented by the President.
– The provisions of related articles govern the process for these grants.
– This process promotes accountability and transparency in government finances.

Importance & Impact

– This article helps ensure timely funding for necessary services and projects.
– It allows quick government response to unexpected financial needs
– Parliamentary approval helps maintain checks and balances on spending
– The article supports efficient financial management in the government
– It fosters public trust by ensuring transparent use of taxpayer money.

Sample UPSC Question

Consider the following statements about Article 115: 1. Article 115 allows Parliament to vote Supplementary Demands for Grants during a financial year. 2. Excess grants under Article 115 are voted before the expenditure is incurred. 3. The CAG audits excess expenditure and reports to Parliament. 4. Supplementary demands follow the same procedure as original budget demands. Which statements are correct? a) 1 and 3 only b) 1, 3 and 4 only c) 2 and 4 only d) 1, 2 and 4 only

Answer

Answer: b) 1, 3 and 4 only Statement 1 is correct — Article 115 expressly provides for supplementary and additional grants. Statement 2 is wrong — excess grants are voted after expenditure has already exceeded the sanctioned amount; they regularise past excess spending. Statement 3 is correct — the CAG audits and reports excess expenditure. Statement 4 is correct — supplementary demands follow the same Lok Sabha procedure.

Key Takeaways

✓ Article 115 enables supplementary financial requests by the President.
✓ It requires parliamentary approval for excess expenditures
✓ The article supports government responsiveness to financial needs.
✓ It promotes accountability in public spending
✓ Article 115 has not been amended since 1950.

FAQs

Article 115 of the Indian Constitution deals with supplementary, additional, or excess grants. It allows the President to present a statement before both Houses of Parliament if the funds allocated for a specific service in the current financial year are insufficient or if new expenditure arises. This means that if the government needs more money than what was initially budgeted, the President can request additional funds.

This ensures accountability and transparency in government spending. It allows Parliament to review and approve any additional funding needed, ensuring that taxpayers’ money is spent wisely. In practical terms, this article affects various government departments. Article 115 of the Indian Constitution deals with supplementary, additional, or excess grants. It allows the President to present a statement before both Houses of Parliament if the funds allocated for a specific service in the current financial year are insufficient or if new expenditure arises.

For example, if a natural disaster occurs and the government needs to allocate more funds for relief operations, Article 115 provides a mechanism to quickly secure those funds. This helps the government respond to emergencies without delays caused by bureaucratic processes. The requirement for Parliament’s approval also helps maintain a check on government spending, which is key for good governance and public trust.

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Pramod Pal Founder and Editor-in-Chief

Pramod is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of StudyHub. He holds a Master's degree and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Geology, alongside more than 7+ years spent building and verifying competitive exam content for Indian aspirants. He leads StudyHub's editorial process across Indian Polity, the Constitution, Indian Economy, History, Geography, Science, and the platform's other subject areas — checking every article against primary sources (bare act text and Gazette notifications for constitutional topics, government and Economic Survey data for economy content, standard reference material elsewhere) and flagging it for re-verification whenever a relevant amendment, policy, or data update makes an earlier version outdated.
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