Article 162

Part VI — The States · Constitution of India

Article 162

Extent of executive power of State. Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the executive power of a State shall extend to the matters with respect to which the Legislature of the State has power to make laws: Provided that in any matter with respect to which the Legislature of a State and Parliament have power to make laws, the executive power of the State shall be subject to, and limited by, the executive power expressly conferred by this Constitution or by any law made by Parliament upon the Union or authorities thereof.

In plain wordsThe state government can act on any subject its own legislature can make laws about. On subjects where both the state and Parliament can legislate, the Union's authority comes first and limits what the state can do.

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