Union and its Territory

Articles 1 to 4 of Part-I of the Constitution lay the foundation for the concept of the “Union and its Territory.” Article 1 defines India as a “Union of States” rather than a mere federation. This choice of wording reflects the constitutional intent that, although India follows a federal structure, the union is indestructible while the individual states are “destructible” – meaning they cannot secede.

The territory of India is categorized into three groups: the territories of the states, the union territories, and any territories that may be acquired by the Government of India in the future. The First Schedule of the Constitution enumerates the names and territorial extents of the states and union territories. In addition, special provisions (such as those in Part XXI and the Fifth and Sixth Schedules) address administrative matters in selected states and tribal areas.

Thus, while the term “Union of India” refers only to the states, the term “Territory of India” embraces all areas under Indian jurisdiction, including those directly administered by the Centre.