THE CONSTITUTION (TWENTY-SEVENTH AMENDMENT) ACT, 1971


    Statement of Objects and Reasons appended to the Constitution
      (Twenty-seventh Amendment) Bill, 1971 which was enacted as
        THE CONSTITUTION (Twenty-seventh Amendment) Act, 1971

                   STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS

As  a part of the scheme of reorganisation of the north-eastern areas,
it  is proposed that the Union territory of Mizoram contemplated under
the  scheme should have a legislature and Council of Ministers.  It is
proposed  to  achieve this object by including the Union territory  of
Mizoram in article 239A of THE CONSTITUTION (clause 2).

The  Study Team appointed by the Administrative Reforms Commission  on
the  Administration of Union Territories and NEFA has recommended that
the  Administrator of a Union territory with legislature may have  the
power to promulgate ordinances when the legislature is not in session.
It  is  proposed to accept this recommendation and include a  suitable
provision  in the Constitution conferring on such an Administrator the
power to promulgate Ordinances (clause 3).

Under  paragraph 18(2) of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution  read
with  article  240 of the Constitution, the President is empowered  to
make  Regulations for the North-East Frontier Agency.  It is  proposed
to  continue  these  powers even after the Agency  becomes  the   Union
territory of Arunachal Pradesh under the reorganisation scheme.  It is
also  proposed  to  have  similar powers with  respect  to   the  Union
territory of Mizoram (clause 4).

When  the  legislature of a State is dissolved or its  functioning  is
suspended by a proclamation under article 356 of the Constitution, the
Parliament  is empowered to confer legislative powers on the President
in  respect  of that State by passing a law under article 357(1).   No
such   provision  exists  in  the   case  of   Union  territories  with
legislatures,  with  the result that whenever the legislature  of  any
Union  territory  is dissolved or its functioning is suspended  by  an
order  of  the  President,  all legislation  relating  to   that  Union
territory  has to be passed by the Parliament.  It is proposed that in
such  circumstances  the  Regulation making power  under  article   240
should be available to the President (clause 4).

Hill  Areas  of  Manipur  are Predominantly inhabited  by  members  of
Scheduled  Tribes.   To safeguard their interests  special   provisions
were  made in section 562 of the Government of Union Territories  Act,
1963  for  a  Committee  of  the Legislative  Assembly   of  the  Union
territory  of Manipur consisting of members from the Hill Areas.  When
the   Union   territory  of  Manipur   becomes   a  State   under   the
reorganisation scheme, the said section 52 will cease to be operative.
It  is proposed, as a part of the scheme of safeguards for the  people
of  the  Hill Areas, to continue this arrangement even  after  Manipur
becomes  a  State.   So,  a specific provision is being   made  in  the
Constitution for the formation of such a Committee (clause 5).

This Bill seeks to give effect to the above proposals.



NEW DELHI;                                             K. C. PANT.

The 12th December, 1971.




THE CONSTITUTION (TWENTY-SEVENTH AMENDMENT) ACT, 1971



                                        [30th December, 1971.]


An Act further to amend the Constitution of India.

BE  it enacted by Parliament in the Twenty-second Year of the Republic
of India as follows:-

1.   Short  title and commencement.-(1) This Act may be  called  the
Constitution (Twenty-seventh Amendment) Act, 1971.

(2)  This section and section 3 shall come into force at once and  the
remaining  provisions  of  this  Act shall come  into  force   on  such
date_663, being a date not earlier than the day appointed under clause
(b)  of  section 2 of the North- Eastern Areas  (Reorganisation)  Act,
1971,  as the Central Government may, by notification in the  Official
Gazette, appoint.

2.  Amendment of article 239A.-In article 239A of the Constitution, in
clause  (1), for the words "Goa, Daman and Diu, and Pondicherry",  the
words  "Goa,  Daman  and  Diu,   Pondicherry  and   Mizoram"  shall  be
substituted.

3.   Insertion  of  new  article    239B.-After  article  239A  of  the
Constitution, the following article shall be inserted, namely:-

"239B.   Power of administrator to promulgate Ordinances during recess
of  Legislature.-(1) If at any time, except when the Legislature of  a
Union  territory  referred  to  in clause (1) of article  239A   is  in
session,  the  administrator thereof is satisfied  that  circumstances
exist  which render it necessary for him to take immediate action,  he
may  promulgate such Ordinances as the circumstances appear to him  to
require:

Provided   that  no  such   Ordinance   shall  be  promulgated  by  the
administrator  except after obtaining instructions from the  President
in that behalf:

Provided  further that whenever the said Legislature is dissolved,  or
its functioning remains suspended on account of any action taken under
any  such  law  as is referred to in clause (1) of article  239A,   the
administrator  shall not promulgate any Ordinance during the period of
such dissolution or suspension.

(2)  An  Ordinance  promulgated  under this article  in  pursuance  of
instructions  from  the President shall be deemed to be an Act of  the
Legislature  of the Union territory which has been duly enacted  after
com;oying with the provisions in that behalf contained in any such law
as  is  referred  to  in clause (1) of article 239A,  but   every  such
Ordinance-

(a)  shall  be laid before the Legislature of the Union territory  and
shall  cease  to  operate  at the expiration of  six  weeks   from  the
reassembly  of  the Legislature or if, before the expiration  of  that
period,  a  resolution disapproving it is passed by  the  Legislature,
upon the passing of the resolution;  and

(b)  may be withdrawn at any time by the administrator after obtaining
instructions from the President in that behalf.

(3)  If  and  so  far as an Ordinance under  this  article  makes  any
provision  which  would  not  be valid if enacted in  an   Act  of  the
Legislature  of  the  Union territory made after  complying  with   the
provisions  in that behalf contained in any such law as is referred to
in clause (1) of article 239A, it shall be void.".


4.  Amendment of article 240.-In article 240 of the Constitution,-

(a) in clause (1),-

(i)  after  entry  (e),  the   following  entries  shall  be  inserted,
namely:-

"(f) Mizoram;

(g) Arunachal Pradesh:";

(ii)  in the proviso, for the words "Union territory of Goa, Daman and
Diu or Pondicherry", the words "Union territory of Goa, Daman and Diu,
Pondicherry or Mizoram" shall be substituted;

(iii)  after the proviso as so amended, the following further  proviso
shall be inserted, namely:-

"Provided  further that whenever the body functioning as a Legislature
for  the Union territory of Goa, Daman and Diu, Pondicherry or Mizoram
is  dissolved,  or  the functioning of that body as  such   Legislature
remains suspended on account of any action taken under any such law as
is  referred  to  in clause (1) of article 239A,  the  President   may,
during  the period of such dissolution or suspension, make regulations
for the peace, progress and good government of that Union territory.";

(b)  in clause (2), the words "any existing law", the words "any other
law" shall be substituted.

5.   Insertion  of  new  article    371C.-After  article  371B  of  the
Constitution, the following article shall be inserted, namely:-

`371C.   Special  provision with respect to the State of  Manipur.-(1)
Notwithstanding  anything in this Constitution, the President may,  by
order  made  with  respect to the State of Manipur,  provide  for   the
constitution  and functions of a committee of the Legislative Assembly
of  the State consisting of members of that Assembly elected from  the
Hill  Areas  of  that State, for the modifications to be made  in   the
rules  of business of the Government and in the rules of procedure  of
the   Legislative   Assembly  of  the   State   and  for  any   special
responsibility  of  the  Governor  in   order  to   secure  the  proper
functioning of such committee.

(2)  The  Governor  shall  annually, or whenever so  required  by  the
President, make a report to the President regarding the administration
of  the Hill Areas in the State of Manipur and the executive power  of
the  Union shall extend to the giving of directions to the State as to
the administration of the said areas.

Explanation.-In  this article, the expression "Hill Areas" means  such
areas as the President may, by order, declare to be Hill Areas.'.