Important Constitutional Amendments
Elaboration
Amendment | Year | Key provision |
|---|---|---|
1st | 1951 | Added 9th Schedule and Arts 31A, 31B; reasonable restrictions on free speech (public order, friendly relations with foreign states, incitement to offence); special provisions for SC/ST/OBC (Art 15(4)) |
7th | 1956 | Reorganisation of states on linguistic basis (States Reorganisation Act 1956); abolished Part A, B, C, D categories; created 14 states and 6 UTs; common High Courts |
24th | 1971 | Parliament's power to amend FRs; President must assent |
25th | 1971 | Curtailed right to property; Art 31C |
26th | 1971 | Abolished privy purses and privileges of former rulers |
31st | 1973 | Lok Sabha strength raised to 545 |
38th/39th | 1975 | Emergency-era: judicial review of Emergency barred (38th); election of PM beyond court review (39th, struck down in Raj Narain) |
42nd | 1976 | "Mini-Constitution": added Socialist, Secular, Integrity; Fundamental Duties (Part IVA, Art 51A); DPSP Arts 39A, 43A, 48A; Art 368(4),(5); tenure of Lok Sabha and state assemblies extended from 5 to 6 years (reversed by 44th); Art 31C widened; Parliament's supremacy over judiciary; administrative tribunals (Art 323A); freeze on Lok Sabha seats till 2001 |
44th | 1978 | Repealed right to property as a FR (made it a legal right, Art 300A); restored 5-year term; safeguards on Emergency ("armed rebellion" replacing "internal disturbance", written recommendation of Cabinet, Art 20 and 21 cannot be suspended); President may send back advice once |
52nd | 1985 | Anti-defection law, 10th Schedule |
61st | 1988 | Voting age reduced from 21 to 18 |
69th | 1991 | Delhi became National Capital Territory (Arts 239AA, 239AB) |
73rd | 1992 | Panchayati Raj (Part IX, 11th Schedule, Arts 243-243O) |
74th | 1992 | Municipalities (Part IXA, 12th Schedule, Arts 243P-243ZG) |
86th | 2002 | Art 21A (education for ages 6-14); Art 45 revised; Art 51A(k) (parental duty) |
91st | 2003 | Council of Ministers capped at 15% of the House; stricter anti-defection (removed one-third split exception) |
97th | 2011 | Cooperative societies (Art 19(1)(c), Art 43B, Part IXB); partially struck down in 2021 (Rajendra Shah) |
99th | 2014 | NJAC; struck down 2015 |
100th | 2015 | Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh |
101st | 2016 | GST; GST Council (Art 279A) |
102nd | 2018 | Constitutional status to National Commission for Backward Classes (Art 338B) |
103rd | 2019 | 10% EWS reservation (Arts 15(6), 16(6)); upheld in Janhit Abhiyan (2022) by 3:2 |
104th | 2019 | Ended SC/ST reservation extension issue: Anglo-Indian nomination in Lok Sabha/assemblies discontinued; SC/ST reservation extended for 10 years more (to 2030) |
105th | 2021 | Restored states' power to identify SEBCs/OBCs (after the Maratha quota judgment) |
106th | 2023 | Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam: one-third reservation for women in Lok Sabha, state assemblies and Delhi (incl. SC/ST quota); effective after the next census and delimitation |
Key points to remember
- 42nd = Mini-Constitution; 44th = repair of 42nd.
- 73rd/74th = local government (1992); Parts IX and IXA; Schedules 11 and 12.
- 52nd = anti-defection (10th Schedule); 91st = tightened it + 15% cap.
- 61st = voting age 18; 86th = Art 21A; 101st = GST; 103rd = EWS; 106th = women's reservation.
- First Amendment = 9th Schedule; 7th = linguistic reorganisation.
- Right to property: removed as FR by 44th; now Art 300A (legal right).
PYQ / MCQ
1. Which Amendment is known as the 'Mini-Constitution'?
(a) 24th
(b) 42nd
(c) 44th
(d) 52nd
Answer: (b)
2.Panchayati Raj institutions got constitutional status through the:
(a) 72nd
(b) 73rd
(c) 74th
(d) 75th
Answer: (b)
3. The Tenth Schedule (anti-defection) was added by the:
(a) 42nd
(b) 52nd
(c) 61st
(d) 91st
Answer: (b)
4. Which Amendment made 'Right to Education' a Fundamental Right?
(a) 42nd
(b) 73rd
(c) 86th
(d) 93rd
Answer: (c)
Quick Revision Sheet
- Dates: Cabinet Mission 1946 · CA first meeting 9 Dec 1946 · Objectives Resolution 13 Dec 1946 · Adopted 26 Nov 1949 · Enforced 26 Jan 1950.
- Numbers: 389 → 299 members · 15 women · 7-member Drafting Committee · 395 Articles, 22 Parts, 8 Schedules (original).
- Case ladder: Shankari Prasad → Sajjan Singh → Golaknath → Kesavananda → Raj Narain → Minerva Mills → Waman Rao → Bommai → Coelho → NJAC.
- Top traps: Berubari (not part) vs Kesavananda (part) · DPSP = Ireland · Fundamental Duties = USSR · No joint sitting for amendments · Socialist/Secular = 42nd (1976).
- Mains hook: Constitutional morality + basic structure + federal balance connect almost every GS-II question.