Amendments to Indian Constitution: List of Total & Latest (With Notes)

Constitutional amendment means a formal change made to the Constitution by adding, deleting, or changing its provisions. In India, the process of amendment is given under Article 368, which explains how Parliament can amend the Constitution. There are 106 amendments to Indian Constitution, with the latest being the 106th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2023. 

Over the years, amendments in the Constitution of India have affected major areas such as Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles, Fundamental Duties, emergency provisions, local self-government, reservation, voting rights, GST, education, property rights, and women’s representation. 

The amendments show how the Constitution changes with the country’s needs while keeping its basic structure protected.

List of Amendments in Indian Constitution

Below is the full list of all amendments in Constitution of India:

Amendment Act	Year	Main Change
1st Amendment Act	1951	Added the Ninth Schedule, changed provisions related to free speech restrictions, and protected land reform laws.
2nd Amendment Act	1952	Changed the scale of representation in the Lok Sabha by modifying Article 81.
3rd Amendment Act	1954	Expanded Parliament’s power over trade and commerce in essential goods by changing the Seventh Schedule.
4th Amendment Act	1955	Changed property-related provisions and limited court interference in compensation matters.
5th Amendment Act	1955	Changed the procedure related to state reorganisation bills under Article 3.
6th Amendment Act	1956	Gave Parliament power to tax inter-State sale or purchase of goods.
7th Amendment Act	1956	Reorganised States, removed Part B States, and changed provisions related to High Courts and Union Territories.
8th Amendment Act	1960	Extended reservation of seats for SCs, STs, and Anglo-Indian representation for 10 more years.
9th Amendment Act	1960	Enabled transfer of certain Indian territories to Pakistan after the India-Pakistan agreement.
10th Amendment Act	1961	Incorporated Dadra and Nagar Haveli as a Union Territory.
11th Amendment Act	1961	Changed the procedure for election of the Vice-President.
12th Amendment Act	1962	Incorporated Goa, Daman and Diu as a Union Territory.
13th Amendment Act	1962	Added special provisions for Nagaland under Article 371A.
14th Amendment Act	1962	Incorporated Puducherry into India and allowed legislatures for certain Union Territories.
15th Amendment Act	1963	Raised the retirement age of High Court judges from 60 to 62 years and made other judiciary-related changes.
16th Amendment Act	1963	Added restrictions related to sovereignty and integrity of India.
17th Amendment Act	1964	Expanded protection for land reform laws and added more laws to the Ninth Schedule.
18th Amendment Act	1966	Clarified Parliament’s power to form new States and alter areas or boundaries.
19th Amendment Act	1966	Abolished Election Tribunals and gave election petition jurisdiction to High Courts.
20th Amendment Act	1966	Validated certain appointments of district judges.
21st Amendment Act	1967	Added Sindhi language to the Eighth Schedule.
22nd Amendment Act	1969	Created provision for an autonomous State within Assam.
23rd Amendment Act	1969	Extended reservation for SCs, STs, and Anglo-Indian representation for another 10 years.
24th Amendment Act	1971	Confirmed Parliament’s power to amend any part of the Constitution, including Fundamental Rights.
25th Amendment Act	1971	Added Article 31C and changed property compensation provisions.
26th Amendment Act	1971	Abolished privy purses and special privileges of former rulers of princely states.
27th Amendment Act	1971	Made changes related to North-Eastern areas and Union Territories.
28th Amendment Act	1972	Repealed Article 314 related to special provisions for former civil servants.
29th Amendment Act	1972	Added Kerala land reform laws to the Ninth Schedule.
30th Amendment Act	1972	Changed civil appeal provisions before the Supreme Court.
31st Amendment Act	1973	Increased the maximum strength of the Lok Sabha.
32nd Amendment Act	1973	Added special provisions for Andhra Pradesh under Articles 371D and 371E.
33rd Amendment Act	1974	Provided that resignation of MPs and MLAs must be voluntary and genuine.
34th Amendment Act	1974	Added more land reform laws to the Ninth Schedule.
35th Amendment Act	1974	Gave Sikkim the status of an associate State.
36th Amendment Act	1975	Made Sikkim a full State of India.
37th Amendment Act	1975	Provided legislative assembly and council of ministers for Arunachal Pradesh.
38th Amendment Act	1975	Made certain emergency-related decisions of the President final and non-questionable in court.
39th Amendment Act	1975	Changed election dispute provisions related to high constitutional offices and added laws to the Ninth Schedule.
40th Amendment Act	1976	Gave Parliament power over territorial waters, continental shelf, and exclusive economic zone; added laws to Ninth Schedule.
41st Amendment Act	1976	Raised retirement age of State Public Service Commission members from 60 to 62 years.
42nd Amendment Act	1976	Known as the Mini Constitution; added Fundamental Duties, changed the Preamble, added DPSPs, and made many wide changes.
43rd Amendment Act	1977	Reversed several Emergency-era changes and restored judicial review powers.
44th Amendment Act	1978	Removed Right to Property as a Fundamental Right and restored several democratic safeguards.
45th Amendment Act	1980	Extended reservation for SCs, STs, and Anglo-Indian representation for 10 more years.
46th Amendment Act	1982	Changed tax provisions related to sale or purchase of goods.
47th Amendment Act	1984	Added more land reform laws to the Ninth Schedule.
48th Amendment Act	1984	Allowed extension of President’s Rule in Punjab.
49th Amendment Act	1984	Brought certain tribal areas of Tripura under the Sixth Schedule.
50th Amendment Act	1984	Allowed restriction of Fundamental Rights for armed forces, intelligence bodies, and related services.
51st Amendment Act	1984	Provided reservation for Scheduled Tribes in certain North-Eastern States.
52nd Amendment Act	1985	Added the Tenth Schedule, also known as the anti-defection law.
53rd Amendment Act	1986	Added special provisions for Mizoram under Article 371G.
54th Amendment Act	1986	Increased salaries of Supreme Court and High Court judges.
55th Amendment Act	1986	Added special provisions for Arunachal Pradesh under Article 371H.
56th Amendment Act	1987	Made Goa a State and added related provisions.
57th Amendment Act	1987	Provided reservation of seats for Scheduled Tribes in certain North-Eastern States.
58th Amendment Act	1987	Provided for authoritative text of the Constitution in Hindi.
59th Amendment Act	1988	Added special emergency-related provisions for Punjab.
60th Amendment Act	1988	Increased the ceiling on profession tax from ₹250 to ₹2,500.
61st Amendment Act	1989	Reduced voting age from 21 years to 18 years.
62nd Amendment Act	1989	Extended reservation for SCs, STs, and Anglo-Indian representation for another 10 years.
63rd Amendment Act	1989	Repealed the special emergency provisions added for Punjab by the 59th Amendment.
64th Amendment Act	1990	Allowed extension of President’s Rule in Punjab.
65th Amendment Act	1990	Created the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
66th Amendment Act	1990	Added more land reform laws to the Ninth Schedule.
67th Amendment Act	1990	Further allowed extension of President’s Rule in Punjab.
68th Amendment Act	1991	Further extended special provision for President’s Rule in Punjab.
69th Amendment Act	1991	Added special provisions for the National Capital Territory of Delhi under Article 239AA.
70th Amendment Act	1992	Included elected members of Delhi and Puducherry Assemblies in the electoral college for President’s election.
71st Amendment Act	1992	Added Konkani, Manipuri, and Nepali languages to the Eighth Schedule.
72nd Amendment Act	1992	Provided reservation for Scheduled Tribes in Tripura Legislative Assembly.
73rd Amendment Act	1992	Added Part IX and Eleventh Schedule for Panchayats.
74th Amendment Act	1992	Added Part IXA and Twelfth Schedule for Municipalities.
75th Amendment Act	1994	Provided for rent tribunals to deal with tenancy and rent-related disputes.
76th Amendment Act	1994	Added Tamil Nadu reservation law to the Ninth Schedule.
77th Amendment Act	1995	Allowed reservation in promotion for SCs and STs in public employment.
78th Amendment Act	1995	Added more land reform laws to the Ninth Schedule.
79th Amendment Act	1999	Extended reservation for SCs, STs, and Anglo-Indian representation for another 10 years.
80th Amendment Act	2000	Changed tax-sharing provisions between the Union and States.
81st Amendment Act	2000	Allowed separate treatment of backlog reserved vacancies for SCs and STs.
82nd Amendment Act	2000	Allowed relaxation in qualifying marks for SCs and STs in promotion.
83rd Amendment Act	2000	Exempted Arunachal Pradesh from reservation for SCs in Panchayats.
84th Amendment Act	2001	Extended freeze on readjustment of Lok Sabha and Assembly seats till after 2026.
85th Amendment Act	2001	Provided consequential seniority in promotion for SCs and STs.
86th Amendment Act	2002	Added Article 21A for Right to Education and changed Article 45 and Article 51A.
87th Amendment Act	2003	Allowed delimitation based on the 2001 Census without changing total seats.
88th Amendment Act	2003	Added provisions related to service tax.
89th Amendment Act	2003	Created separate National Commissions for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
90th Amendment Act	2003	Made special provision for representation in Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Areas.
91st Amendment Act	2003	Limited size of Council of Ministers and strengthened anti-defection law.
92nd Amendment Act	2003	Added Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali languages to the Eighth Schedule.
93rd Amendment Act	2005	Enabled reservation in educational institutions, including private unaided institutions, except minority institutions.
94th Amendment Act	2006	Changed provisions related to Ministers in charge of tribal welfare in certain States.
95th Amendment Act	2009	Extended reservation for SCs and STs in legislatures for another 10 years.
96th Amendment Act	2011	Changed the language name from Oriya to Odia in the Eighth Schedule.
97th Amendment Act	2011	Added provisions related to co-operative societies.
98th Amendment Act	2012	Added special provisions for the Hyderabad-Karnataka region under Article 371J.
99th Amendment Act	2014	Created the National Judicial Appointments Commission; later struck down by the Supreme Court.
100th Amendment Act	2015	Gave effect to the India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement.
101st Amendment Act	2016	Introduced Goods and Services Tax, or GST.
102nd Amendment Act	2018	Gave constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes.
103rd Amendment Act	2019	Added 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections.
104th Amendment Act	2019	Extended SC/ST reservation in legislatures and discontinued Anglo-Indian nomination.
105th Amendment Act	2021	Restored the power of States and Union Territories to identify socially and educationally backward classes.
106th Amendment Act	2023	Provided one-third reservation for women in Lok Sabha, State Assemblies, and Delhi Assembly.

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Types of Constitutional Amendments in India

There are three types of amendments in Constitution of India:

Type of Amendment	Majority Required	Used For	Examples
Simple Majority	Majority of members present and voting	Changes that are constitutional in nature but are not treated as amendments under Article 368	Formation of new States, change in state boundaries, creation or abolition of Legislative Councils
Special Majority	Majority of total membership of each House plus two-thirds of members present and voting	Most constitutional amendments under Article 368	Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles, Fundamental Duties, many Union and State provisions
Special Majority + State Ratification	Special majority in Parliament plus approval by at least half of State Legislatures	Amendments affecting federal structure	Election of President, powers of Union and States, Supreme Court and High Courts, distribution of legislative powers, Article 368

Importance of Amendments in Constitution of India

These are the reasons why amendments to Indian Constitution important:

1. To Keep the Constitution Updated

A country changes with time. Society, economy, technology, education, governance, and public needs do not remain the same. Amendments help the Indian Constitution stay relevant without replacing the whole document.

2. To Add New Rights and Duties

Some rights and duties become important after the Constitution is already in force. For example, the Right to Education was added later, and Fundamental Duties were also added through amendment.

3. To Improve Governance

Constitutional amendments help strengthen government systems. Panchayats, Municipalities, GST, tribunals, anti-defection law, and co-operative societies are examples where amendments improved how institutions work.

4. To Correct Gaps or Weaknesses

Some provisions may need correction after court judgments, political experience, or public debate. Constitution amendments help remove confusion, fix gaps, and make constitutional provisions clearer.

5. To Protect Social Justice

Many amendments to Constitution of India have supported reservation, representation, weaker sections, backward classes, women, and local communities. These changes help the Constitution respond to social and democratic needs.

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Parts of Indian Constitution	Schedules of Indian Constitution
Preamble to Constitution of India	Facts About Indian Constitution
Constitution Day of India	Drafting Committee of Indian Constitution

Amendment Procedure Under Article 368

Article 368 gives the main procedure for amending the Constitution of India. A Constitutional Amendment Bill follows a special process because it changes the Constitution itself.

Step 1: Introduction of the Bill

A Constitutional Amendment Bill can be introduced in either House of Parliament, Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. It cannot be introduced in a State Legislature.

Step 2: Passage by Special Majority

The Bill must be passed in each House by a special majority. This means a majority of the total membership of that House and a two-thirds majority of members present and voting.

Step 3: State Ratification, If Required

Some amendments affect the federal structure. In such cases, the Bill also needs approval from at least half of the State Legislatures. This applies to matters like election of President, powers of Union and States, courts, and Article 368 itself.

Step 4: President’s Assent

After Parliament passes the Bill, and after state ratification where needed, it is sent to the President for assent. The President gives assent to the Constitutional Amendment Bill.

Step 5: Amendment Becomes Part of the Constitution

Once the President gives assent, the Bill becomes a Constitutional Amendment Act. The changed provision then becomes part of the Constitution.

Most Important Amendments to Indian Constitution

Some constitutional amendments are more important for exams because they changed major areas like Fundamental Rights, property rights, elections, local governance, education, taxation, reservation, and women’s representation. 

Amendment Act	Year
1st Amendment Act	1951
7th Amendment Act	1956
24th Amendment Act	1971
25th Amendment Act	1971
26th Amendment Act	1971
42nd Amendment Act	1976
43rd Amendment Act	1977
44th Amendment Act	1978
52nd Amendment Act	1985
61st Amendment Act	1989
69th Amendment Act	1991
73rd Amendment Act	1992
74th Amendment Act	1992
86th Amendment Act	2002
91st Amendment Act	2003
92nd Amendment Act	2003
97th Amendment Act	2011
101st Amendment Act	2016
102nd Amendment Act	2018
103rd Amendment Act	2019
104th Amendment Act	2019
105th Amendment Act	2021
106th Amendment Act	2023

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First Constitutional Amendment Act, 1951

The First Constitutional Amendment Act, 1951 was the first major change made to the Constitution after it came into force. It mainly dealt with freedom of speech, land reforms, and protection of certain laws. This amendment added reasonable restrictions on the freedom of speech and expression under Article 19, especially on grounds like public order, friendly relations with foreign states, and incitement to an offence. 

It also added Articles 31A and 31B to protect land reform laws from being easily challenged in court. The most important change was the addition of the Ninth Schedule, which protected certain laws from Fundamental Rights challenges. This amendment is important because it shows how early constitutional changes were made to balance individual rights with social and economic reforms.

42nd Amendment Act, 1976: Mini Constitution

The 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976 is one of the most important amendments to the Indian Constitution. It is called the Mini Constitution because it made wide changes to the Preamble, Fundamental Duties, Directive Principles, Parliament’s powers, judiciary, and Centre-State relations. This amendment was passed during the Emergency period and had a strong impact on India’s constitutional structure.

Key Changes Made by the 42nd Amendment:

Area Changed	What Was Changed
Preamble	Added the words Socialist, Secular, and Integrity
Fundamental Duties	Added Part IVA and Article 51A
Directive Principles	Added new DPSPs like Article 39A, Article 43A, and Article 48A
Tribunals	Added Part XIVA dealing with tribunals
Judiciary	Tried to limit judicial review in some areas
Parliament	Tried to strengthen Parliament’s power to amend the Constitution
Lok Sabha and State Assemblies	Increased the term from 5 years to 6 years, later reversed by the 44th Amendment
Centre-State Relations	Increased the centralising effect of the Constitution

The 42nd Amendment is called the Mini Constitution because it changed many parts of the Constitution at once. It did not make one small correction; it changed the language, structure, powers, duties, and guiding principles of the Constitution.

44th Amendment Act, 1978

The 44th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1978 was passed after the Emergency period to restore democratic balance and protect citizens from misuse of emergency powers. One of its biggest changes was the removal of the Right to Property from the list of Fundamental Rights. 

Earlier, property was protected under Article 19(1)(f) and Article 31. After this amendment, property became a constitutional legal right under Article 300A, which says that no person can be deprived of property except by authority of law.

This amendment also made emergency provisions stricter. The word “internal disturbance” in Article 352 was replaced with “armed rebellion”, making it harder to declare National Emergency on vague grounds. It also restored important safeguards related to life, liberty, and judicial review. For exams, the 44th Amendment is important because it corrected many Emergency-era changes and protected constitutional democracy.

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73rd and 74th Amendment Acts of Indian Constitution

The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts, 1992 gave constitutional status to local self-government in India. The 73rd Amendment deals with Panchayats, while the 74th Amendment deals with Municipalities. These amendments strengthened democracy at the village, town, and city levels.

Basis	73rd Amendment Act	74th Amendment Act
Year	1992	1992
Related to	Panchayats	Municipalities
Governance level	Rural local government	Urban local government
Part added	Part IX	Part IXA
Articles added	Articles 243 to 243O	Articles 243P to 243ZG
Schedule added	Eleventh Schedule	Twelfth Schedule
Subjects listed	29 subjects	18 subjects
Important for	Gram Sabha, Panchayat elections, reservation, local planning	Municipal bodies, urban planning, sanitation, public health, city services

86th Amendment Act, 2002

The 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002 made education a Fundamental Right. It added Article 21A, which provides free and compulsory education for children between 6 and 14 years. This made education not just a policy goal, but a legally protected right.

This amendment also changed Article 45. Earlier, Article 45 talked about free and compulsory education for children. After the amendment, it focused on early childhood care and education for children below six years. The amendment also added Article 51A(k) as a Fundamental Duty, making it the duty of parents or guardians to provide education opportunities to children between 6 and 14 years.

101st Amendment Act, 2016

The 101st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2016 introduced Goods and Services Tax (GST) in India. GST replaced many indirect taxes and created a more uniform tax system across the country. Before GST, different taxes were imposed by the Union and States, which often made the tax system complicated.

This amendment added Article 246A, which gives both Parliament and State Legislatures power to make laws on GST. It also added Article 279A, which provides for the GST Council. The GST Council recommends tax rates, exemptions, model laws, and other important GST-related matters.

The 101st Amendment changed India’s indirect tax system by creating a common tax structure for goods and services. It is one of the most important economic amendments in the Constitution.

103rd Amendment Act, 2019

The 103rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019 introduced 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) among the general category. It added Article 15(6) and Article 16(6) to the Constitution.

Article 15(6) allows the State to make special provisions for the advancement of EWS citizens, including reservation in educational institutions. Article 16(6) allows reservation for EWS in public employment. This reservation is separate from the existing reservation for SCs, STs, and OBCs.

This amendment is important because it introduced economic weakness as a basis for reservation. It is frequently asked in exams related to equality, reservation, Fundamental Rights, and social justice.

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106th Amendment Act, 2023

The 106th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2023, also known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, provides one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, and the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. It added provisions such as Article 330A, Article 332A, and Article 334A.

The Act came into force from 16 April 2026. However, its practical implementation depends on the census and delimitation process. This means the reservation will apply after the required constituency-related process is completed.

This amendment is important because it aims to increase women’s representation in law-making bodies. For exams, remember its year, subject, one-third reservation, and link with Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.

Basic Structure Doctrine and Amendments

The Basic Structure Doctrine means that Parliament can amend the Constitution, but it cannot destroy or damage its basic structure. This doctrine came from the landmark Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala case in 1973. Before this case, there was a major debate on how far Parliament’s amendment power could go. 

The Supreme Court held that Article 368 gives Parliament the power to amend the Constitution, including many important provisions, but this power is not unlimited. Features like supremacy of the Constitution, rule of law, judicial review, federalism, secularism, democracy, separation of powers, and free and fair elections are treated as part of the basic structure. This doctrine protects the Constitution from extreme changes.

Amendments to Indian Constitution PDF Download

Download our Amendments to Indian Constitution notes PDF and get the complete list of major amendments, years, Articles changed, Schedules added, landmark cases, and exam-focused notes. 

FAQs About Amendments to Indian Constitution

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