After being re-elected with a bigger mandate in 2019, the Modi government amended the Constitution three times – all pertaining to reservation. In 2019, Parliament agreed to continue the affirmative action for SC/STs first granted by the Constituent Assembly in 1950, retaining their reservation till 2030.
The Constitutional Amendments enacted in PM Modi’s first term are explored in the first part of this article.
In 2021, it attempted a course-correction of the constitutional amendment passed in 2018 which gave the National Commission of Backward Classes (NCBC) a constitutional status. With the Supreme Court stating that only the President can decide which communities fall under the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) list, Parliament hurriedly passed the 105th amendment to undo the damage.
In 2023, Indian women finally got their promised reservation of 33% in the Lok Sabha, State legislatures and local bodies.
As India celebrates its 77th Republic Day today, here’s a look at these amendments:
