Important Amendments in Indian

Constitution - SSC CGL (Part 1)

Polity is one the important topics covered under General Awareness section of many
exams like SSC CHSL, SSC CGL, SSC MTS, IBPS PO, IBPS Clerk, IBPS SO,
IPPB Sc. I, LIC AAO, etc. It is also covered under many State Government Exams.
Moreover, information about Indian Constitution is one of the vital topics of
Polity. To help you prepare that, in this article, we are providing Amendments in
Indian Constitution with years. Learn about different Amendment Acts, their
years and the provisions included in Indian Constitution by those Acts.

 Amendments in Indian Constitution - 2 Ways

Amendments in Indian Constitution are necessary to satisfy the demands of the

time. The power to amend the constitution is mentioned under Article 368 of
the Indian constitution is given to the Parliament. The Important Amendments in
Indian Constitution can be made in two ways -

By Simple majority -

 Bills regarding the amendments of laws are passed with Simple Majority.
 A bill of purpose for the amendment is initiated in either of the houses.
 The Majority of the total membership of the House and the
2/3rd majority of the members present & voting passes the bill.
 After the bill is passed in both the houses, it is sent to the President for
his/her approval.

By Special majority -

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  Bills regarding the manner of election of the President, the formation of new
states, representation of States and Union Territories in Parliament etc. need to
be passed with Special Majority.
 In Special Majority, the majority of the total membership of the House
and the 2/3rd majority of the members present & voting has to pass the
bill.
 However, it also needs to be passed by more than half the States of
India.
 After that, the bill is sent to the President for his/her approval.

There are total 101 Important Amendments in Indian Constitution made until now since
the constitution came into effect. In this article, we will go through some important
ones.

 Important Amendments in Indian Constitution -

List

Amendments Year Provisions/Changes

1st 1951 To overcome difficulties
Amendment in Fundamental rights,
Act Special treatment to
educationally & socially
backward classes
2nd 1952 Readjusted the scale of
Amendment representation in Lok Sabha
Act on the basis of 1951 census
3rd 1954 Transferred items of State
Amendment List to Concurrent List

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 Act
4th 1955 Property, Trade & Commerce
Amendment related amendment;
Act Extended scope of Article 31A,
Authorised the state to
nationalise any trade
5th 1955 Empowered the President to
Amendment fix time limit for state
Act legislatures to express their
views on central laws affecting
the areas & boundaries of state
6th 1956 Included new subject in
Amendment Union list i.e. interstate sales tax
Act
7th 1956 Abolished classification of states
Amendment into 4 categories;
Act High Court jurisdiction
& establishment
8th 1960 Extended reservation of SC,
Amendment ST & Anglo Indians in
Act Lok Sabha for 10 years
9th 1960 Transfer of territory of
Amendment Berubari union to Pakistan
Act
10th 1961 Incorporated territories of
Amendment Dadra & Nagar Haveli in
Act Indian union
11th 1961 Change in procedure of

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 Amendment election of Vice President
Act
12th 1962 Incorporated Goa, Daman
Amendment & Diu in Indian Union
Act
13th 1962 Special provision & status
Amendment of state given to Nagaland
Act
14th 1963 Incorporated Pondicherry
Amendment in Indian union;
Act Provided legislature & council
of ministers for union territories
15th 1963 Increased retirement age
Amendment of high court judges from
Act 60 to 62 years;
Extended jurisdiction of
high courts to issue writs,
Provision for appointment,
allowances of retired judge
of high court
16th 1963 Empowered states to impose
Amendment restriction on fundamental
Act rights related to sovereignty
& integrity of country;
Changes in the form of oath
17th 1964 Amended right to property;
Amendment Added more provisions
Act in 9th schedule

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 18th 1966 Related to the formation
Amendment of new state.
Act
19th 1966 Abolished system of election
Amendment Tribunals;
Act Authorised High courts to hear
election petitions
20th 1966 Validated appointments of district
Amendment judges by adding new article 233A
Act
21st 1967 Included Sindhi language
Amendment in 8th schedule
Act
22nd 1969 Creation of new autonomous
Amendment state of Meghalaya
Act
23rd 1969 Further 10 years extension
Amendment of reservation of SC, ST &
Act Anglo Indian seats in Lok Sabha
24th 1971 Compulsion for President to give
Amendment his assent on Constitutional
Act Amendment Bill;
Affirmed the Right of Parliament
to amend any part of constitution
25th 1971 Curtailed right to property;
Amendment Provided that any Bill passed
Act for DPSP would not be void
if it conflicts article 14, 19 & 31

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 (Human Rights articles)
of the Indian constitution
26th 1971 Abolished titles & special
Amendment privileges of former rulers
Act of princely states
27th 1971 Made certain provisions for
Amendment Arunachal Pradesh & Mizoram
Act
28th 1972 Abolished special privileges of IC
Amendment officers & empowered Parliament
Act to determine their service condition
29th 1972 Included Kerala land reform
Amendment in 9th schedule
Act
30th 1972 Provisions related to Supreme
Amendment Court in civil cases
Act
31st 1972 Raised the number of
Amendment Lok Sabha seats from
Act 525 to 545
32nd 1973 Special provisions related
Amendment to Andhra Pradesh
Act
33rd 1974 Provision related to the
Amendment resignation of MPs &
Act State legislatures
34th 1974 Included land reform
Amendment in 9th schedule

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 Act
35th 1974 Protectorate status of
Amendment Sikkim terminated
Act
36th 1975 Full-fledged state
Amendment status to Sikkim
Act
37th 1975 Legislative assembly &
Amendment Council of ministers to
Act UT Arunachal Pradesh
38th 1975 Declaration of emergency
Amendment promulgation of ordinance
Act by President is non-justiciable
39th 1975 Disputes related to President,
Amendment Vice President, Prime minister
Act & the Speaker beyond
scope of judiciary
40th 1976 Provisions related to EEZ
Amendment & maritime zone;
Act Included 64 central
laws in 9th schedule
41st 1976 Increase in retirement age
Amendment of members of PSC from 60 to 62
Act
42nd 1976 Added Socialist, Secular
Amendment & integrity in Preamble,
Act Added Fundamental duties
(Part IV A);

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 Creation of All India Judicial
Service;
Extended the time limit of
President rule from 6 months
to 1 year;
Added 3 new directive principles,
Raised tenure of Lok Sabha &
State legislature assemblies from
5 to 6 years;
Proclamation of national
emergency;
Made obligatory for President
to act on the advice of Council
of ministers
43rd 1977 Carried out by Janata government
Amendment to nullify some changes introduced
Act by 42nd amendment;
Restored the jurisdiction of Supreme
Court & High Court with respect to
issue the writs
44th 1978 Modified emergency provision;
Amendment Deleted right to property from
Act Fundamental rights; Fundamental
rights guaranteed by article 20 and 21
cannot be suspended during
national emergency
45th 1980 Further extension of 10 years for
Amendment reserved seats of Lok Sabha

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 Act & state legislative assemblies
46th 1982 Related to tax reforms
Amendment
Act
47th 1984 Included land reforms acts
Amendment in 9th schedule
Act
48th 1984 Related to President's rule
Amendment in Punjab
Act
49th 1984 Constitutional sanctity to
Amendment autonomous district of Tripura
Act
50th 1984 Empowered Parliament to restrict
Amendment the Fundamental rights of the
Act person working in intelligence
organisations

These were few of the Important Amendments in Indian Constitution. We hope that the
list was helpful for your preparations.

If you liked this article about Important Amendments in Indian Constitution and
want more articles on Indian polity, you can read these and many more on Testbook
Blog.

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 Know Major facts about Indian States

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