Amendment Procedure — Current Affairs 2026
Current Affairs Connections
Supreme Court upholds validity of 103rd Constitutional Amendment providing 10% reservation for economically weaker sections
November 2022The Supreme Court's 3:2 majority decision upholding the 103rd Amendment (2019) that introduced 10% reservation for economically weaker sections among forward castes has significant implications for understanding constitutional amendment procedures and their judicial review. The case tested the basic structure doctrine's application, with the majority holding that the amendment doesn't violate basic structure principles of equality and social justice. The dissenting judges argued that the amendment breaches the basic structure by creating economic criteria for reservation without adequate justification. This case demonstrates how contemporary amendments continue to be scrutinized under the basic structure doctrine established in Kesavananda Bharati. The amendment followed the special majority procedure under Article 368, showing how significant social policy changes require constitutional amendment rather than ordinary legislation. The case also highlights ongoing debates about reservation policy, constitutional interpretation, and the balance between legislative will and judicial review.
UPSC Angle: UPSC can test this through questions on basic structure doctrine application, reservation policy evolution, recent constitutional amendments, and the interplay between social justice and constitutional amendment procedures.
Debate over Women's Reservation Bill and constitutional amendment requirements
September 2023The passage of the Women's Reservation Bill (128th Constitutional Amendment Bill) by Parliament in September 2023 highlights the amendment procedure's role in implementing significant social reforms. The Bill, which reserves one-third of seats in Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women, required the special majority procedure under Article 368 as it affects the composition and representation in Parliament and state legislatures. The amendment's passage after decades of debate demonstrates both the challenges and possibilities within India's amendment framework. The Bill's provision for implementation after delimitation and census shows how constitutional amendments can include transitional arrangements. The debate surrounding the Bill also raised questions about sub-reservation for OBC and minority women within the reserved quota, illustrating how amendment procedures must balance various social and political considerations. This case study is particularly relevant for understanding how constitutional amendments address gender equality, political representation, and the federal structure's implications for amendment procedures.
UPSC Angle: Questions can focus on the amendment procedure for representation-related changes, gender equality in political representation, the relationship between constitutional amendments and social reform, and the federal implications of representation changes.