{"id":54670,"date":"2026-04-15T09:10:43","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T03:40:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=54670"},"modified":"2026-04-16T14:22:40","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T08:52:40","slug":"constitutional-amendments-in-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/constitutional-amendments-in-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Important Constitutional Amendments in India, Types, Procedures"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Constitution of India, adopted on 26th January 1950, is a dynamic document that has continuously evolved to meet the changing needs of society, politics, and governance. To adapt to shifting social, political, and economic conditions, Constitutional Amendments have been introduced periodically. These amendments reflect the growth of Indian democracy, highlight policy priorities, and mark shifts in power structures. Some amendments have made minor procedural changes, while others like the 42nd and 44th Amendments have fundamentally reshaped the Constitution’s spirit and framework.<\/span><\/p>\n

Constitutional Amendments in India<\/b><\/h2>\n

The Constitutional Amendments in India are formal changes to the text of the Constitution. These changes may modify, add, or remove provisions to adapt to new circumstances. Article 368 of the Indian Constitution grants Parliament the power to amend the Constitution while safeguarding the basic structure.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar once said, \u201cThe Constitution is a dynamic document. It must be capable of growth and change.\u201d<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Constitutional Amendments in India Types<\/b><\/h2>\n

According to Article 368, there are three types of constitutional amendments which are discussed in the table below:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Constitutional Amendments in India Types<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Type of Amendment<\/strong><\/td>\nMajority Required<\/strong><\/td>\nExamples<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

By Simple Majority of Parliament<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

More than 50% of members present and voting (Not under Article 368)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n
    \n
  • Admission or establishment of new states (Article 2)<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Alteration of state boundaries or names<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

By Special Majority of Parliament<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Majority of total membership + 2\/3 of members present and voting in each House<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n
    \n
  • Amendment to Fundamental Rights<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Directive Principles<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Election of President<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

By Special Majority + State Ratification<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Special majority + Approval by half of the state legislatures<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n
    \n
  • Changes in federal structure<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Representation of states in Parliament<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Distribution of powers<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Important Constitutional Amendments in India<\/b><\/h2>\n

    The Constitution of India, as a living document, has evolved over the decades through a series of significant amendments. These constitutional amendments reflect the dynamic needs of governance, societal transformation, and legal reform in a developing democracy. The following table includes the Important Constitutional Amendments in India:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Important Amendments in the Indian Constitution<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Constitution Amendment<\/strong><\/td>\nChanges Introduced<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    1st Amendment Act, 1951<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • Provided for the saving of laws, providing for the acquisition of estates, etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Addition of the Ninth Schedule to protect the land reform and other laws included in it from judicial review.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Empowerment of the state to make special provisions for the advancement of socially and economically backward classes.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Added three more grounds of restrictions on freedom of speech and expression, public order, friendly relations with foreign states, and incitement to an offence. Also, it made the restrictions \u201creasonable\u201d and thus justiciable in nature.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • The act also provided that state trading and nationalisation of any trade or business by the state is not invalid on the grounds such as violation of the right to trade or business.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Insertion of 31A and 31 B.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    2nd Amendment Act, 1952<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • Readjustment of the scale of representation in the Lok Sabha by providing that one member could represent even more than 7,50,000 persons.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    7th Amendment Act, 1956<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • Abolition of the existing classification of states into four categories, i.e., Part A, Part B, Part C, and Part D state, and reorganised them into 14 states and 6 union territories.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Extension of the jurisdiction of high courts to union territories and establishment of a common high court for two or more states.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Provided for the appointment of additional and acting judges of the high court.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Amendment of Second Schedule.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Modifications to the lists relating to the acquisition and requisition of property in the seventh schedule of the Constitution.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    10th Amendment Act, 1961<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • Incorporation of Dadra and Nagar Haveli in the Indian Union in order to enable the President to make regulations for the peace, progress, and good government of the territory.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    15th Amendment Act, 1963\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • The High Courts were enabled to issue writs to any person or authority, even outside its territorial jurisdiction, if the cause of action arose within its territorial limits. Increase in the retirement age of high court judges from 60 to 62 years.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Amendment in articles 297, 311, and 316.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Provision for appointment of retired judges of the high courts as acting judges of the same court.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Provided compensatory allowance to judges who are transferred from one high court to another.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Enabling the retired judge of a high court to act as an ad-hoc judge of the Supreme Court.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    24th Amendment Act, 1971<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • Affirmation of the power of Parliament to amend any part of the Constitution, including fundamental rights.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • It was made compulsory for the president to give his assent to a Constitutional Amendment Bill.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • The act seeks to amend article 13 of the Constitution to make it inapplicable to any amendment of the Constitution under article 368.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    25th Amendment Act, 1971<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • Introduction of new Article 31C.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • The amendment act aims to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of putting the Directive Principles of State Policy into action.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • The act limited the fundamental right to property.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    26th Amendment Act, 1971<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • Omission of Articles 291 and 362 and insertion of new article 363A that states recognition granted to Rulers of Indian States to cease and privy purses to be abolished.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    34th Amendment Act, 1974<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • This amendment act proposed to amend the Ninth Schedule to the Constitution to include the revised ceiling laws.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • The act also included twenty more land tenure and land reform acts of various states in the Ninth Schedule.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    38th Amendment Act, 1975<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • The 38th amendment act of the Constitution seeks to amend articles 123, 213, 239B, 352, 356, 359, and 360 of the Constitution.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • The emergency was declared as non-justiciable by the president of India.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • The promulgation of ordinances by the president, governors, and administrators of union territories was made non-justiciable.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Empowerment of the president to declare different proclamations of national emergency on different grounds simultaneously.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    42nd Amendment Act, 1976<\/strong><\/a> (Mini Constitution)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
    \n

    44th Amendment Act, 1978<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • In the 44th Amendment Act, some of the powers of the Supreme Court and high courts were restored.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Replacement of the term \u201cinternal disturbance\u201d with \u201carmed rebellion\u201d in respect of national emergency.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Made the President declare a national emergency only on the written recommendation of the cabinet.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Deletion of the right to property from the list of Fundamental Rights, making it a legal right.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Provided that the fundamental rights guaranteed by Articles 20 and 21 cannot be suspended during a national emergency.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    51st Amendment Act, 1984<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • Provision of the reservation of seats in the Lok Sabha for Scheduled Tribes in Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Mizoram, as well as in the Legislative Assemblies of Meghalaya and Nagaland.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    52nd Amendment Act, 1985<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
    \n

    61st Amendment Act, 1989<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • Reduced the voting age from 21 years to 18 years for the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    65th Amendment Act, 1990<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • Provision for the establishment of a National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the place of a Special Officer or SCs and STs.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    69th Amendment Act, 1991<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • Made Delhi the \u2018National Capital Territory of Delhi\u2019 along with the provision of a 70-member assembly and a 7-member Council of Ministers for Delhi.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    73rd Amendment Act, 1992<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • Panchayati Raj Institutions were included under the Eleventh Schedule that enumerated the powers and functions of Panchayati Raj Institutions.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Provisions for a three-tier model of Panchayati Raj, reservation of seats for SCs and STs in proportion to their population, and one-third reservation of seats for women were granted.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    74th Amendment Act, 1992<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • This act granted Constitutional status and protection to the urban local bodies.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • For this purpose, the Amendment has added a new Part IX-A entitled \u201cthe municipalities.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • A new Twelfth Schedule was added containing 18 functional items of the municipalities.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    76th Amendment Act, 1994<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • The act included the Tamil Nadu Reservation Act of 1994, which provides for 69 percent reservation of seats in educational institutions and posts in state services in the Ninth Schedule in order to protect it from judicial review.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • In 1992, the Supreme Court ruled that the total reservation should not exceed 50 percent.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    77th Amendment Act, 1995<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes have been enjoying the reservation in the promotion since 1955.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • This act provided for reservation in promotions in government jobs for SCs and STs.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Nullification of the Supreme Court ruling with regard to reservation in promotions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    80th Amendment Act, 2000<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • An alternative scheme of devolution of revenue for sharing taxes between the Union and the State was enacted.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    85th Amendment Act, 2001<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • Provided provision for \u201cconsequential seniority\u201d in the case of promotion by virtue of the rule of reservation for the government servants belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    86th Amendment Act, 2002<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
    \n

    91st Amendment Act, 2003<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • Limited the size of the Council of Ministers at the Center and in the States to debar defectors from holding public offices and to strengthen the anti-defection law.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    93rd Amendment Act, 2005<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • Reservation for the socially and educationally backward classes in private unaided educational institutions except for the minority educational institutions<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    97th Amendment Act, 2012<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • This act gave Constitutional status and protection to co-operative societies.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    99th Amendment Act, 2014<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
    \n

    100th Amendment Act, 2015<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • This act amended the Constitution of India to give effect to the acquiring of territories by India and the transfer of certain territories to Bangladesh in pursuance of the agreement and its protocol entered into between the Governments of India and Bangladesh.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    101st\u00a0 Amendment Act, 2016<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
    \n

    102nd Amendment Act, 2018<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • Provided Constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • This act relieved the National Commission for Scheduled Castes from its functions with regard to the backward classes.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • It also empowered the President to specify the socially and educationally backward classes in relation to a state or union territory.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    103rd Amendment Act, 2019<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • Empowered the state to make any special provision for the advancement of any economically weaker sections (EWS) of citizens.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • An EWS Certificate is needed in order to avail benefits of the EWS category.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • The state was permitted to set aside up to 10% of seats for certain sections when it came to admission to educational institutions, including private educational institutions that were either assisted or unassisted by the state, with the exception of minority educational institutions. This additional reservation of up to 10% would be made in addition to the ones already made.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    104th Amendment Act, 2020<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • Extension of deadline for the cessation of seats for SCs and STs in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies from 70 to 80 years.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Removal of the reserved seats for the Anglo-Indian community in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    105th Amendment Act, 2020<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • It restored the power of state governments and union territories to identify and recognize Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBCs).<\/span><\/li>\n
    • The amendment came into effect on August 15, 2021.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n

    106th Amendment Act, 2020<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n
      \n
    • Also known as the Women’s Reservation Act.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • It reserves one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • The amendment was passed in September 2023 and received the President’s assent on September 28, 2023.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

      Scope of Amenability of the Indian Constitution<\/b><\/h2>\n

      The Indian Constitution is designed with enough flexibility to adapt to changing needs while ensuring the preservation of its foundational principles. The scope of Parliament’s power to amend the Constitution is broad, yet it is subject to important limitations to safeguard the democratic ethos and integrity of the Constitution.<\/span><\/p>\n

      One of the most significant limitations arises from the doctrine of the \u201cBasic Structure,\u201d which was propounded by the Supreme Court in the landmark Kesavananda Bharati case (1973). According to this doctrine, Parliament cannot amend those elements of the Constitution that form its basic structure.<\/span><\/p>\n

      Key Features of the Basic Structure Include:<\/b><\/h4>\n
        \n
      • Sovereignty of the people<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Rule of law<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Separation of powers<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Judicial review<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Federalism<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Republican form of government<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Secularism<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Equality<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Liberty<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Justice<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Additional Restrictions on Parliamentary Amendments:<\/b><\/h4>\n
          \n
        • Parliament cannot pass an amendment that seeks to extend or curtail its own term of office.<\/span><\/li>\n
        • The Constitution cannot be amended to abolish key democratic institutions such as the office of the President or the Supreme Court.<\/span><\/li>\n
        • Amendments that affect federal provisions such as the representation of states in Parliament or the powers of the states, require ratification by at least half of the state legislatures.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Procedure for Making Constitutional Amendments in India<\/b><\/h2>\n

          The Procedure for Making Constitutional Amendments in India is provided under Article 368. It ensures that amendments reflect a balance between flexibility and rigidity, preserving the core framework of the Constitution while allowing necessary changes.<\/span><\/p>\n

          The amendment process involves the following steps:<\/span><\/p>\n

            \n
          1. Initiation of the Bill:<\/b> An amendment bill can be introduced in either House of Parliament Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. It can be proposed by a minister or any private member. However, it cannot be introduced in any of the state legislatures.<\/span><\/li>\n
          2. Parliamentary Approval:<\/b> The bill must be passed in each House of Parliament by a special majority. This means:<\/span>\n
              \n
            • A majority of the total membership of the House, and<\/span><\/li>\n
            • A majority of not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
            • State Ratification (if required):<\/b> In the case of amendments affecting federal provisions such as the distribution of powers between the Centre and the states, or representation of states in Parliament, the bill must be ratified by at least half of the state legislatures through a simple majority.<\/span><\/li>\n
            • Presidential Assent:<\/b> Once passed by Parliament and ratified by states (if required), the bill is sent to the President. The President is constitutionally obligated to give assent and cannot withhold or return the bill.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              Enactment:<\/b> Upon receiving the President\u2019s assent, the bill becomes a Constitutional Amendment Act. It is then formally incorporated into the Constitution.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              Explore important Constitutional Amendments in India including types procedures and impact from the 1st to the 106th shaping the Indian Constitution and democracy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":54659,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[786],"tags":[1503],"class_list":{"0":"post-54670","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general-studies","8":"tag-constitutional-amendments-in-india","9":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54670","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54670"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54670\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":89784,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54670\/revisions\/89784"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54659"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54670"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54670"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54670"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}