Constitutional Amendment Procedure
Question
Consider the following statements:
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1.
An amendment to the Constitution of India can be initiated by an introduction of a bill in the Lok Sabha only.
- 2.
If such an amendment seeks to make changes in the federal character of the Constitution, the amendment also requires to be ratified by the legislature of all the States of India.
Options
1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect because amendments can be initiated in either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha, not only in the Lok Sabha. Statement 2 is correct as per Article 368 of the Constitution, which requires ratification by at least half of the state legislatures when an amendment affects the federal character of the Constitution. Federal character includes matters like representation in Parliament, powers of the President, council of ministers, and the sovereignty and integrity of India. Therefore, only statement 2 is correct. > Remember: Amendment bills can start in either House of Parliament, but federal structure changes need state ratification (50% rule). Answer: b.
Question details
Year
2014
Paper
GS Paper 1
Question
Q11
Subject
Polity
Sub-topic
Amendment Process and Ratification
Type
Statement-based
Difficulty
Medium
Nature
Static
Source hint
NCERT Polity Ch.4 - Constitutional Amendments
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