What Is Constitution Of India Article 115?

Constitution of India 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.

Brief Detail

Article 115 provides the procedure for dealing with supplementary, additional, or excess grants. If the amount allocated for a specific service in a financial year is insufficient or if new expenditure arises, the President must lay before Parliament another statement or present a demand for the excess expenditure. It ensures that the necessary funds for unforeseen or supplementary needs are authorised in the same manner as regular grants, by following the process outlined in Articles 112, 113, and 114.

Question & Answers

What is the procedure if the funds for a service are found to be insufficient during the financial year?

If the funds for a service are insufficient or if there is a need for supplementary expenditure, the President must lay before Parliament a new statement showing the estimated amount of expenditure or present a demand for such excess.

Can the government spend more than the allocated budget for a service in a financial year?

If the government has spent more than the granted amount for a service, it must present a demand for the excess expenditure to Parliament, which will follow the same procedure for approval as the original grant.

Example

If the government had originally allocated ₹500 crore for healthcare in the annual budget, but during the year, ₹600 crore was needed due to an unforeseen health crisis, the President would present a statement or demand for an additional ₹100 crore to Parliament for approval, following the same procedures as for the original allocation.

Summary

Article 115 ensures that the government can address unforeseen financial needs or excess expenditure by seeking approval for supplementary, additional, or excess grants. The process follows the same procedure as regular financial grants, ensuring that all expenditure is properly authorised by Parliament.