Which Constitution Amendment Act is popularly called the Mini-Constitution?
- A.The 24th Amendment Act, 1971
- B.The 42nd Amendment Act, 1976
- C.The 44th Amendment Act, 1978
- D.The 52nd Amendment Act, 1985
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is B, the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976. It is called the Mini-Constitution because no other single amendment has changed so much of the Constitution at once. Passed during the Emergency, it added the words socialist, secular and integrity to the Preamble, inserted Part IVA with ten Fundamental Duties, transferred education, forests, weights and measures, protection of wild animals and birds and the administration of justice from the State List to the Concurrent List, extended the term of the Lok Sabha and the State Assemblies from five years to six, and curtailed the power of the courts to review amendments. Option A, the 24th Amendment of 1971, only made the President bound to assent to an amendment Bill and confirmed the amending power over Part III. Option C, the 44th Amendment of 1978, reversed many of the 42nd Amendment changes. Option D, the 52nd Amendment of 1985, brought in the anti-defection law.
Read the full article: Important Constitutional Amendments: List, Years and PYQs
Practice Questions
View allThe anti-defection law was added to the Constitution as the Tenth Schedule by which amendment?
- A.The 44th Amendment Act, 1978
- B.The 52nd Amendment Act, 1985
- C.The 61st Amendment Act, 1989
- D.The 91st Amendment Act, 2003
Show answer
It inserted the Tenth Schedule, which disqualifies a member of Parliament or of a State legislature who voluntarily gives up the membership of the party on whose ticket he was elected, or who votes against the party whip.
Read the full explanation →By which amendment was the voting age in India lowered from 21 years to 18 years?
- A.The 42nd Amendment Act
- B.The 52nd Amendment Act
- C.The 61st Amendment Act
- D.The 73rd Amendment Act
Show answer
The first general election held on the new franchise was that of 1989.
Read the full explanation →Article 21A, which makes free and compulsory education a fundamental right, was inserted by which amendment?
- A.The 85th Amendment Act
- B.The 86th Amendment Act
- C.The 93rd Amendment Act
- D.The 101st Amendment Act
Show answer
It inserted Article 21A, which gives every child of the age of six to fourteen years the right to free and compulsory education in such manner as the State may determine by law; the law that followed was the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.
Read the full explanation →The Goods and Services Tax was introduced in India by which Constitution Amendment Act?
- A.The 100th Amendment Act, 2015
- B.The 101st Amendment Act, 2016
- C.The 102nd Amendment Act, 2018
- D.The 103rd Amendment Act, 2019
Show answer
It inserted Article 246A, which gives both Parliament and the State legislatures the power to make laws on goods and services tax, Article 269A for the levy and collection of integrated GST on inter-State supply, and Article 279A, under which the President constituted the GST Council with the Union Finance…
Read the full explanation →The right to property was removed from the list of Fundamental Rights by which amendment?
- A.The 24th Amendment Act, 1971
- B.The 25th Amendment Act, 1971
- C.The 42nd Amendment Act, 1976
- D.The 44th Amendment Act, 1978
Show answer
It repealed Article 19(1)(f) and Article 31 and put the right to property in a new Article 300A in Part XII, so that no person may be deprived of his property except by authority of law.
Read the full explanation →