Article 300A: the constitutional right to property in India
Article 300A says no person shall be deprived of property save by authority of law. It is a constitutional right, but it is not listed among Fundamental Rights in Part III.
Article 300A of the Constitution says that no person shall be deprived of property save by authority of law. The right is constitutional, but Article 300A is not one of the Fundamental Rights in Part III.
What the text says
Article 300A protects against deprivation of property without authority of law. It was inserted by the Constitution (Forty-fourth Amendment) Act, 1978, after the earlier Fundamental Right to property was removed from Part III. The wording matters: state action must have legal authority, but the article is not a blanket guarantee that property can never be acquired.
How to distinguish it in exams
A common question asks whether the right to property is still a Fundamental Right. The answer is no: it is a constitutional right under Article 300A. Another question may ask what authorises deprivation; the article's key phrase is authority of law. Specific property disputes depend on legislation and judicial interpretation.
Use the official text
Read the Constitution and relevant legislation rather than relying on an isolated summary. The article number and wording are static GK, while how a court applies it in a particular case is a legal question that requires the judgment and current law.
AI publication disclosure
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Frequently asked questions
Is the right to property a Fundamental Right today?
No. It is protected by Article 300A as a constitutional right, outside Part III's list of Fundamental Rights.
Can the state ever acquire property?
The Constitution does not make acquisition impossible. Article 300A requires authority of law; the applicable law and circumstances matter.