Isabella Carter
As of July 2025, there have been 106 amendments to the Indian Constitution since its enactment in 1950, making it the most amended national constitution in the world. The process of amending the constitution is called a Constitutional Amendment, and it involves changing, adding, or repealing any provision of the constitution. Amendments can be made in three ways, with the first type requiring a simple majority in each house of the Parliament of India, the second type requiring a prescribed special majority in each house, and the third type requiring a special majority and ratification by at least half of the State Legislatures. The purpose of these amendments is to ensure that the constitution remains a living document capable of adapting to evolving political, social, and economic needs while preserving its fundamental principles.
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What You'll Learn
- The Indian Constitution is the most amended constitution in the world
- Amendments are made to uphold the constitution's principles and values
- Amendments are made through a bill, passed by a majority in Parliament
- There are three types of amendments, two of which are governed by Article 368
- The Basic Structure of the Constitution cannot be amended
The Indian Constitution is the most amended constitution in the world
The Indian Constitution is the world's most frequently amended national governing document. As of July 2025, there have been 106 amendments since it was enacted in 1950. This averages out to roughly two amendments per year.
The Constitution is so specific in spelling out governmental powers that many matters addressed by statute in other democracies must be addressed via constitutional amendment in India. There are three types of amendments to the Constitution of India. The first type of amendment must be passed by a "simple majority" in each house of the Parliament of India. The second type of amendment must be passed by a prescribed "special majority" of each house of Parliament. The third type of amendment must be passed by a "special majority" in each house of Parliament and ratified by at least half of the State Legislatures.
The first-ever amendment to the Constitution was made on 18 June 1951, when Article 15 (which prohibits discrimination based on caste and religion), Article 19, and other significant articles were amended. Additionally, new Articles 31A and 31B were inserted. The most recent amendment was made on 28 September 2023, when Article 239AA was amended to reserve one-third of the seats in the Lok Sabha, state legislative assemblies, and the Delhi Legislative Assembly for women for a period of 15 years.
The Constitution of India is the supreme legal document of India, and the longest written national constitution in the world. It lays down the framework that demarcates the fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens. It took almost four years to draft and initially consisted of 395 articles in 22 parts and 8 schedules. At about 145,000 words, it is the second-longest active constitution in the world.
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Amendments are made to uphold the constitution's principles and values
The Indian Constitution is the most frequently amended national constitution in the world, with 105 amendments as of October 2021 and 106 as of September 2023. The last amendment introduced Goods and Service Tax. Amendments are made to uphold the constitution's principles and values and to address evolving political, social, and economic needs. The constitution is amended roughly twice a year, with the process reflecting the desire of the constituent legislative assembly to create a dynamic document capable of adapting to changing circumstances.
The Indian Constitution is a living document that provides for its amendment. Article 368 of the Indian Constitution grants Parliament the power to amend it, and its procedures outline three types of amendments. The first type of amendment must be passed by a "simple majority" in each house of the Parliament of India, which is a majority of more than 50% of the members present and voting. Many articles in the Constitution mention that these articles can be amended by a simple law of the Parliament, and no special procedure for amendment is required. Examples include Article 2, which covers the admission or establishment of new states, and the Fifth Schedule, which covers the administration and control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes.
The second type of amendment must be passed by a prescribed "special majority" of each house of Parliament. This refers to a majority of the total membership of each House and a majority of two-thirds of the members of each House present and voting. Examples include Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State Policy. The third type of amendment must be passed by a "special majority" in each house of Parliament and ratified by at least one half of the State Legislatures. States' ratification is through a simple majority.
While the Indian Constitution is flexible and allows for amendments, it also has a rigid nature to protect its fundamental principles and values. The amending power of the Parliament is limited by the doctrine of Basic Structure, established by the Indian Judiciary in the Keshavananda Bharati case on 24 April 1973. This concept, though not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution, ensures that the fundamental ethos, principles, and underlying framework of the Constitution remain intact, preserving its spirit. Amendments under Article 368 are valid as long as they do not violate the Basic Structure of the Constitution.
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Amendments are made through a bill, passed by a majority in Parliament
As of July 2025, there have been 106 amendments to the Indian Constitution since its enactment in 1950, making it the most amended national constitution in the world. The constitution is amended roughly twice a year due to the level of detail with which it spells out governmental powers.
There are three types of amendments to the Indian Constitution, of which the second and third types are governed by Article 368. The first type of amendment must be passed by a "simple majority" in each house of the Parliament of India. This is similar to the ordinary legislative process, with a majority of members of each House present and voting.
The second type of amendment must be passed by a prescribed "special majority" of each house of Parliament. This is a majority of more than 50% of the total membership of the House and a majority of two-thirds of the members of the House present and voting.
The third type of amendment must be passed by a "special majority" in each house of Parliament and ratified by at least half of the State Legislatures. This type of amendment includes matters that, in other democracies, would be addressed by statute.
Amendments are initiated by the introduction of a bill in either House of Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha). The bill can be introduced by a minister or a private member and does not require prior presidential permission. After the president's assent, the bill becomes an Act, and the Constitution is amended in accordance with its terms.
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There are three types of amendments, two of which are governed by Article 368
The Indian Constitution is the most amended national constitution in the world. As of July 2025, there have been 106 amendments since it was first enacted in 1950. The Constitution is amended roughly twice a year. This is because the Constitution spells out governmental powers in such detail that many matters addressed by statute in other democracies require constitutional amendment in India.
There are three types of amendments to the Constitution of India, of which the second and third types are governed by Article 368. The first type of amendment must be passed by a "simple majority" in each house of the Parliament of India. This type of amendment can be effected by Parliament by a simple majority, such as that required for the passing of any ordinary law. These amendments are specifically excluded from Article 368, which is the specific provision dealing with the power and procedure for the amendment of the Constitution.
The second type of amendment must be passed by a prescribed "special majority" of each house of Parliament. The third type of amendment must be passed by a "special majority" in each house of Parliament and ratified by at least half of the State Legislatures. The second and third types of amendments are governed by Article 368.
Article 368 outlines the procedure for exercising Parliament's power to amend the Constitution. It was originally titled "Procedure for the Amendment of the Constitution" in the Constitution of India 1050. This Article was later renamed after the Supreme Court's Golaknath case of 1967, which limited Parliament's authority to amend Fundamental Rights. In response, Parliament enacted the Constitution (Twenty-fourth Amendment) Act in 1971, which added two clauses to bring Fundamental Rights under Parliament's amending power.
Article 368 states that Parliament has unrestricted power to amend any part of the Constitution. However, this has been challenged in court. In the case of Mangal Singh v. Union of India, the Supreme Court held that Parliament has the power to reduce the total number of members of the Legislative Assembly below the minimum prescribed under article 170 (1). However, in the landmark case of Kesavananda Bharati v. The State of Kerala in 1973, the Supreme Court upheld Parliament's power to amend all parts of the Constitution, including Fundamental Rights. The court also established the Basic Structure Doctrine, which states that Parliament cannot amend certain basic features of the Constitution.
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The Basic Structure of the Constitution cannot be amended
As of July 2025, the Indian Constitution, first enacted in 1950, has been amended 106 times, making it the most amended national constitution in the world. The Constitution is amended roughly twice a year, and there are three types of amendments, of which the second and third types are governed by Article 368.
Despite the frequent amendments, the Supreme Court of India has held that no constitutional amendment can destroy the basic structure of the Constitution. This principle was established in the Kesavananda Bharati case, where the Court ruled that Parliament's power to amend is not unlimited.
The "basic structure" of the Constitution encompasses various fundamental principles and features, including the supremacy of the Constitution, the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary, the doctrine of separation of powers, federalism, secularism, a sovereign democratic republic, the parliamentary system of government, the principle of free and fair elections, and the concept of a welfare state.
This limitation on Parliament's power to amend the Constitution is not unique to India. Several other countries have similar provisions in their constitutions to protect core principles and characteristics of their states. For example, Article 60 of Brazil's 1988 Constitution forbids amendments that intend to abolish individual rights or alter the fundamental framework of the State, including the separation of powers and the federal republic. Article 152 of the Romanian Constitution includes "limits of revision" that prohibit amendments regarding independence, territorial integrity, independence of justice, the republican form of government, political pluralism, and the official language.
In conclusion, while the Indian Constitution has been amended numerous times, the basic structure outlined by the Supreme Court in the Kesavananda Bharati case serves as an essential safeguard to protect the core principles and values upon which the nation was founded. This balance between flexibility and preservation of fundamental tenets is a critical feature of India's democratic framework.
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Frequently asked questions
As of July 2025, there have been 106 amendments to the Indian Constitution since it was first enacted in 1950.
The purpose of Constitutional Amendments is to ensure that the Constitution remains a living document capable of adapting to evolving political, social, and economic needs while upholding its fundamental principles and values.
Amendments can be initiated by introducing a bill in either house of Parliament, which must then be passed by a special majority in each house separately. If the bill seeks to amend federal provisions, it must also be ratified by the legislatures of half of the states by a simple majority. After this, the bill is presented to the President for assent, and once they approve it, the bill becomes a Constitutional Amendment Act.
The Basic Structure of the Indian Constitution refers to a set of core principles deemed essential, which cannot be destroyed or altered through amendments by Parliament. This concept was established by the Supreme Court in the 1973 Kesavananda Bharati case, and ensures that the fundamental principles, ethos, and framework of the Constitution remain intact.
There are three types of amendments to the Indian Constitution. The first type must be passed by a simple majority in each house of Parliament. The second type must be passed by a prescribed special majority in each house of Parliament. The third type must be passed by a special majority in each house of Parliament and ratified by at least half of the State Legislatures.
