Important Amendments to the Indian Constitution

Indian Constitution, known for its flexibility and dynamic nature, has been amended numerous times since its inception in 1950 to address evolving socio-political, economic, and legal circumstances.

First Amendment (1951)

• Purpose:

Introduced to address judicial decisions and practical difficulties arising from the original Constitution.

• Key Changes:

Added the Ninth Schedule to protect land reform laws from judicial review, and modified the right to freedom of speech to place reasonable restrictions for reasons related to the security of the state, the sovereignty and integrity of India, and public order.

Seventh Amendment (1956)

• Purpose:

To implement the recommendations of the States Reorganisation Commission regarding the reorganization of states on linguistic lines.

• Key Changes:

Abolished the distinction between Part A, B, C, and D states and introduced a single type of state, thereby simplifying the political map of India.

Twenty-fourth Amendment (1971)

• Purpose:

To affirm the power of Parliament to amend any part of the Constitution including Fundamental Rights.

• Key Changes:

Made explicit that Article 368 grants Parliament the power to amend the Constitution.

Twenty-fifth Amendment (1971)

• Purpose:

To overcome the difficulties posed by the Supreme Court’s decisions in Golaknath case which said Fundamental Rights were unamendable.

• Key Changes:

Included a new provision, Article 31C, that barred courts from reviewing any amendments made with a view to implementing the directive principles of state policy, despite any conflict with the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 19, or 31.

Forty-second Amendment (1976)

• Purpose:

Called the “Mini-Constitution” due to its wide-ranging impact, introduced during the Emergency by Indira Gandhi’s government to reduce the power of the judiciary and increase the power of the Parliament.

• Key Changes:

Made extensive changes to the Constitution, including the addition of the terms “Socialist” and “Secular” to the Preamble, and enhancements to the directive principles over the fundamental rights.

Forty-fourth Amendment (1978)

• Purpose:

To reverse the excesses of the previous emergency-imposed Forty-second Amendment.

• Key Changes:

Restored many provisions to their original form, removed the right to property from the list of fundamental rights (Article 300A), and strengthened the provisions related to civil liberties in the case of imposition of a national emergency.

Sixty-first Amendment (1989)

• Purpose:

To lower the voting age.

• Key Changes:

Reduced the voting age from 21 years to 18 years for Lok Sabha and legislative assemblies elections, reflecting increased political awakening and participation among the youth.

Seventy-third Amendment (1992)

• Purpose:

To strengthen and empower local governance in rural areas.

• Key Changes:

Provided a constitutional status to Panchayati Raj institutions. This amendment added a new Part IX to the Constitution, entitled “The Panchayats”, and introduced a new Eleventh Schedule covering 29 subjects within the functions of the Panchayats.

Seventy-fourth Amendment (1992)

• Purpose:

To strengthen and empower urban local governance.

• Key Changes:

Provided a constitutional status to urban municipal bodies and added a new Part IX-A to the Constitution, entitled “The Municipalities”, and a new Twelfth Schedule covering 18 subjects within the functions of municipalities.

One Hundred and First Amendment (2016)

• Purpose:

Introduction of a unified Goods and Services Tax (GST) across the country.

• Key Changes:

Introduced GST to consolidate multiple overlapping taxes into a single system, thereby enhancing the efficiency of tax collection and increasing overall revenue.