THE CONSTITUTION (FORTY-FOURTH AMENDMENT)
Statement of Objects and Reasons
appended to the Constitution
(Forty-fifth Amendment) Bill, 1978 (Bill No. 88 of 1978) which was
enacted as THE CONSTITUTION (Forty-fourth Amendment) Act, 1978
STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS
Recents experience has shown that the
fundamental rights, including
those of life and liberty, granted to citizens by the Constitution are
capable of being taken away by a transient
majority. It is,
therefore, necessary to provide adequate safeguards
against the
recurrence of such a contingency in the future and to ensure to the
people themselves an effective voice in determining the
form of
government under which they are to live. This is one of the primary
objects of this Bill.
2. It is, therefore, proposed to provide
that certain changes in the
Constitution which would have the effect of impairing its secular or
democratic character, abridging or taking away fundamental
rights
prejudicing or impeding free and fair elections on the basis of adult
suffrage and compromising the independence of judiciary, can be made
only if they are approved by the people of India by a majority
of
votes at a referendum in which at least fifty-one per cent. of the
electorate participate. Article 368 is being amended to ensure this.
3. In view of the special position sought
to be given to fundamental
rights, the right to property, which has been the occasion for more
than one amendment of the Constitution, would
cease to be a
fundamental right and become only a legal right. Necessary amendments
for this purpose are being made to article 19 and article 31 is being
deleted. It would, however, be ensured that the removal of property
from the list of fundamental rights would not affect the right
of
minorities to establish and administer educational institutions of
their choice.
4. Similarly, the right
of persons holding land for personal
cultivation and within the ceiling limit to receive compensation at
the market value would not be affected.
5. Property, while ceasing to be a fundamental
right, would, however,
be given express recognition as a legal right, provision being made
that no person shall be deprived of his property save in accordance
with law.
6. A Proclamation of Emergency
under article 352 has virtually the
effect of amending the Constitution by converting it for the duration
into that of a Unitary State and enabling the rights of the citizen to
move the courts for the enforcement of fundamental rights---including
the right to life and liberty---to be suspended. Adequate safeguards
are, therefore, necessary to ensure that this power is
properly
exercised and is not abused. It is, therefore,
proposed that a
Proclamation of Emergency can be issued only when the security
of
India or any part of its territory is threatened by war or external
aggression or by armed rebellion. Internal disturbance not amounting
to armed rebellion would not be a ground for
the issue of a
Proclamation.
7. Further, in order to ensure that
a Proclamation is issued only
after due consideration, it is sought to be provided that an Emergency
can be proclaimed only on the basis of written advice tendered to the
President by the Cabinet. In addition, as a Proclamation of Emergency
virtually has the effect of amending the Constitution, it is being
provided that the Proclamation would have to be approved by the two
Houses of Parliament by the same majority which is necessary to amend
the Constitution and such approval would have to be given within a
period of one month. Any such Proclamation would be in force only for
a period of six months and can be
continued only by further
resolutions passed by the same majority. The Proclamation would also
cease to be in operation if a resolution disapproving the continuance
of the Proclamation is passed by Lok Sabha. Ten per cent. or more of
the Members of Lok Sabha can requisition a special
meeting for
considering a resolution for disapproving the Proclamation.
8. As a further check against the misuse
of the Emergency provisions
and to put the right to life and liberty on a secure footing, it would
be provided that the power to suspend the right to move the court for
the enforcement of a fundamental right cannot be exercised in respect
of the fundamental right to life and liberty. The right to liberty is
further strengthened by the provision that a law for
preventive
detention cannot authorise, in any case, detention for a longer period
than two months, unless an Advisory Board has reported that there is
sufficient cause for such detention. An additional safeguard would be
provided by the requirement that the Chairman of an Advisory Board
shall be a serving Judge of the appropriate High Court and that the
Board shall be constituted in accordance with the recommendations of
the Chief Justice of that High Court.
9. A special provision is being
made guaranteeing the right of the
media to report freely and without censorship the
proceedings in
Parliament and the State Legislatures. The provision with regard to
the breakdown of the constitutional machinery in the States is being
amended so as to provide that a Proclamation issued under article 356
would be in force only for a period of six months in
the first
instance and that it cannot exceed one year ordinarily. However, if a
Proclamation of Emergency is in operation and the Election Commission
certifies that the extension of the President's rule beyond a period
of one year is necessary on account of difficulties
in holding
elections to the Legislative Assembly of the State concerned,
the
period of operation of the Proclamation can be extended beyond one
year. This is subject to the existing limit of three years.
These
changes would ensure that democratic rule is restored to a State after
the minimum period which will be necessary for holding elections.
10. With a view to avoiding delays, it is
proposed to amend articles
132, 133 and 134 and insert a new article 134A to provide that a High
Court should consider the question of granting a certificate
for
appeal to Supreme Court immediately after the
delivery of the
judgment, decree, final order or sentence concerned on the basis of an
oral application by a party or, if the High Court deems fit so to do,
on its own motion. Cases of special leave to appeal by Supreme Court
will be left to be regulated exclusively by article 136.
11. The other amendments proposed in the Bill
are mainly for removing
or correcting the distortions which came into the Constitution
by
reason of amendments enacted during the period of
the Internal
Emergency.
12. The Bill seeks to
achieve the above objects. The notes on
clauses explain in detail the various provisions of the Bill.
NEW DELHI;
SHANTI BHUSHAN.
The 9th May, 1978.
THE CONSTITUTION (FORTY-FOURTH AMENDMENT)
ACT, 1978
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ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
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SECTIONS
1. Short title and commencement.
2. Amendment of article 19.
3. Amendment of article 22.
4. Amendment of article 30.
5. Omission of sub-heading after article 30.
6. Omission of article 31.
7. Amendment of article 31A.
8. Amendment of article 31C.
9. Amendment of article 38.
10. Substitution of new article for article 71.
11. Amendment of article 74.
12. Amendment of article 77.
13. Amendment of article 83.
14. Substitution of new article for article 103.
15. Amendment of article 105.
16. Amendment of article 123.
17. Amendment of article 132.
18. Amendment of article 133.
19. Amendment of article 134.
20. Insertion of new article 134A.
21. Amendment of article 139A.
22. Amendment of article 150.
23. Amendment of article 166.
24. Amendment of article 172.
25. Substitution of new article for article 192.
26. Amendment of article 194.
27. Amendment of article 213.
28. Amendment of article 217.
29. Amendment of article 225.
30. Amendment of article 226.
31. Amendment of article 227.
32. Amendment of article 239B.
33. Omission of article 257A.
34. Insertion of new Chapter IV in Part XII.
35. Amendment of article 329.
36. Omission of article 329A.
37. Amendment of article 352.
38. Amendment of article 356.
39. Amendment of article 358.
40. Amendment of article 359.
41. Amendment of article 360.
42. Insertion of new article 361A.
43. Amendment of article 371F.
44. Amendment of the Ninth Schedule.
45. Amendment of THE CONSTITUTION (Forty-second Amendment) Act, 1976.
THE CONSTITUTION (FORTY-FOURTH AMENDMENT) ACT, 1978
[30th April, 1979.]
An Act further to amend the Constitution of India.
BE it enacted by Parliament in the Twenty-ninth
Year of the Republic
of India as follows:-
1. Short title and
commencement.- (1) This Act may be called the
Constitution (Forty-fourth Amendment) Act, 1978.
(2) It shall come into force on such date
as the Central Government
may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint and different
dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act.
2. Amendment of article 19.- In article 19 of
the Constitution,-
(a) in clause (1),-
(i) in sub-clause (e), the word "and" shall
be inserted at the end;
(ii) sub-clause (f) shall be omitted;
(b) in clause (5), for the words,
brackets and letters "sub-clauses
(d), (e) and (f)", the words, brackets and letters "sub-clauses
(d)
and (e)" shall be substituted.
3. Amendment of article 22.- In article 22 of
the Constitution,-
(a) for clause (4), the
following clause shall be substituted,
namely:-
`(4) No law providing for preventive detention
shall authorise the
detention of a person for a longer period than two months unless an
Advisory Board constituted in accordance with the recommendations of
the Chief Justice of the appropriate High Court has reported before
the expiration of the said period of two months that there is in its
opinion sufficient cause for such detention:
Provided that an Advisory Board shall
consist of a Chairman and not
less than two other members, and the Chairman shall be a serving Judge
of the appropriate High Court and the other members shall be serving
or retired Judges of any High Court:
Provided further that nothing in
this clause shall authorise the
detention of any person beyond the maximum period prescribed by any
law made by Parliament under sub-clause (a) of clause (7).
Explanation.-In this clause, "appropriate High
Court" means,-
(i) in the case of the detention of a person in
pursuance of an order
of detention made by the Government of India or
an officer or
authority subordinate to that Government, the High Court for the Union
territory of Delhi;
(ii) in the case of the detention of a person in
pursuance of an order
of detention made by the Government of any State (other than a Union
territory), the High Court for that State; and
(iii) in the case of the detention
of a person in pursuance of an
order of detention made by the administrator of a Union territory or
an officer or authority subordinate to such administrator, such High
Court as may be specified by or under any law made by Parliament in
this behalf.';
(b) in clause (7),-
(i) sub-clause (a) shall be omitted;
(ii) sub-clause (b) shall be re-lettered as
sub-clause (a); and
(iii) sub-clause (c) shall be re-lettered as
sub-clause (b) and in the
sub-clause as so re-lettered, for the words, brackets, letter
and
figure "sub-clause (a) of clause (4)", the word,brackets and
figure
"clause (4)" shall be substituted.
4. Amendment of article 30.-In article 30
of the Constitution, after
clause (1), the following clause shall be inserted, namely:-
"(1A) In making any law providing
for the compulsory acquisition of
any property of an educational institution
established and
administered by a minority, referred to in clause (1), the State shall
ensure that the amount fixed by or determined under such law for the
acquisition of such property is such as would not restrict or abrogate
the right guaranteed under that clause.".
5. Omission of sub-heading after article
30.- The sub-heading "Right
to Property" occurring after article 30 of the Constitution shall be
omitted.
6. Omission of article 31.- Article 31 of
the Constitution shall be
omitted.
7. Amendment of article 31A.-In article
31A of the Constitution, in
clause (1), for the words and figures "article 14, article
19 or
article 31", the words and figures "article 14 or article 19" shall be
substituted.
8. Amendment of article 31C.-In article
31C of the Constitution, for
the words and figures "article 14, article 19 or article
31", the
words and figures "article 14 or article 19" shall be substituted.
9. Amendment of article 38.-Article 38 of
the Constitution shall be
renumbered as clause (1) thereof and after
the clause as so
renumbered, the following clause shall be inserted, namely:-
"(2) The State shall,
in particular, strive to minimise the
inequalities in income, and endeavour to eliminate inequalities in
status, facilities and opportunities, not only amongst individuals but
also amongst groups of people residing in different areas or engaged
in different vocations.".
10. Substitution of new article for article
71.-For article 71 of the
Constitution, the following article shall be substituted, namely:-
"71. Matters relating
to, or connected with, the election of a
President or Vice-President.-(1) All doubts and disputes arising out
of or in connection with the election of a President or Vice-President
shall be inquired into and decided by the Supreme Court whose decision
shall be final.
(2) If the election of a person as
President or Vice-President is
declared void by the Supreme Court, acts done by him in the exercise
and performance of the powers and duties of the office of President or
Vice-President, as the case may be, on or before the date of
the
decision of the Supreme Court shall not be invalidated by reason of
that declaration.
(3) Subject to the provisions of this
Constitution, Parliament may by
law regulate any matter relating to or connected with the election of
a President or Vice-President.
(4) The election of a person as President or
Vice-President shall not
be called in question on the ground of the existence of any vacancy
for whatever reason among the members of the
electoral college
electing him.".
11. Amendment of article 74.-In
article 74 of the Constitution, in
clause (1), the following proviso shall be inserted at
the end,
namely:-
"Provided that the President may require
the Council of Ministers to
reconsider such advice, either generally or otherwise,
and the
President shall act in accordance with the advice tendered after such
reconsideration.".
12. Amendment of article
77.-In article 77 of the Constitution,
clause (4) shall be omitted.
13. Amendment of article 83.-(1) In
article 83 of the Constitution,
in clause (2), for the words "six years" in both the places where they
occur, the words "five years" shall be substituted.
(2) The amendments made by sub-section (1) to clause
(2) of article 83
shall apply also to the House of the People in existence on the date
of coming into force of this section without prejudice to the power of
Parliament with respect to the extension of the duration of that House
under the proviso to that clause.
14. Substitution of new article for
article 103.- For article 103 of
the Constitution, the following article shall be substituted, namely:-
"103. Decision on questions as to
disqualifications of members.-(1)
If any question arises as to whether a member of either
House of
Parliament has become subject to any of
the disqualifications
mentioned in clause (1) of article 102, the question shall be referred
for the decision of the President and his decision shall be final.
(2) Before giving any decision on any
such question, the President
shall obtain the opinion of the Election Commission and shall
act
according to such opinion.".
15. Amendment of article 105.-In article
105 of the Constitution, in
clause (3), for the words "shall be those of the House of Commons of
the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and of
its members and
committees, at the commencement of this Constitution", the
words,
figures and brackets "shall be those of that House and of its members
and committees immediately before the coming into force of section 15
of the Constitution (Forty-fourth Amendment) Act, 1978"
shall be
substituted.
16. Amendment of article 123.-In
article 123 of the Constitution,
clause (4) shall be omitted.
17. Amendment of article 132.-In article 132 of
the Constitution,-
(a) in clause (1), for the words "if
the High Court certifies", the
words, figures and letter "if the High Court certifies under article
134A" shall be substituted;
(b) clause (2) shall be omitted;
(c) in clause (3), the words "or such leave is
granted," and the words
"and, with the leave of the Supreme Court, on any other ground" shall
be omitted.
18. Amendment of article 133.-In article
133 of the Constitution, in
clause (1), for the words "if the High Court certifies-", the words,
figures and letter "if the High Court certifies under article 134A-"
shall be substituted.
19. Amendment of article 134.-In article
134 of the Constitution, in
sub-clause (c) of clause (1), for the word "certifies", the
words,
figures and letter "certifies under article
134A" shall be
substituted.
20. Insertion of new
article 134A.- After article 134 of the
Constitution, the following article shall be inserted, namely:-
"134A. Certificate for
appeal to the Supreme Court.- Every High
Court, passing or making a judgment, decree, final order, or sentence,
referred to in clause (1) of article 132 or clause (1) of article 133,
or clause (1) of article 134,-
(a) may, if it deems fit so to do, on its own motion;
and
(b) shall, if an oral application
is made, by or on behalf of the
party aggrieved, immediately after the passing or making of
such
judgment, decree, final order or sentence,
determine, as soon as may be
after such passing or making, the
question whether a certificate of the nature referred to in clause (1)
of article 132, or clause (1) of article 133 or, as the case may be
sub-clause (c) of clause (1) of article 134, may be given in respect
of that case.".
21. Amendment of article 139A.-In article
139A of the Constitution,
for clause (1), the following clause shall be substituted, namely:-
"(1) Where cases involving
the same or substantially the same
questions of law are pending before the Supreme Court and one or more
High Courts or before two or more High Courts and the Supreme Court is
satisfied on its own motion or on an application
made by the
Attorney-General of India or by a party to any such case that such
questions are substantial questions of general importance, the Supreme
Court may withdraw the case or cases pending before the High Court or
the High Courts and dispose of all the cases itself:
Provided that the Supreme
Court may after determining the said
questions of law return any case so withdrawn together with a copy of
its judgment on such questions to the High Court from which the case
has been withdrawn, and the High Court shall on receipt
thereof,
proceed to dispose of the case in conformity with such judgment.".
22. Amendment of article 150.-In article 150 of
the Constitution, for
the words "after consultation with", the words "on the
advice of"
shall be substituted.
23. Amendment of article 166.-In
article 166 of the Constitution,
clause (4) shall be omitted.
24. Amendment of article 172.-(1) In article
172 of the Constitution,
in clause (1), for the words "six years" in both the places where they
occur, the words "five years" shall be substituted.
(2) The amendments made by sub-section
(1) to clause (1) of article
172-
(a) shall not apply to any existing State
Legislative Assembly the
period of existence whereof as computed from the date appointed for
its first meeting to the date of coming into force of this section
(both dates inclusive) is more than four years and eight months but
every such Assembly shall, unless sooner dissolved, stand dissolved on
the expiry of-
(i) a period of four months from the date of coming
into force of this
section; or
(ii) a period of six years from the
date appointed for its first
meeting,
whichever period expires earlier;
(b) shall apply to every other existing
State Legislative Assembly
without prejudice to the power of Parliament with respect to
the
extension of duration of such Assembly under the proviso to the said
clause (1).
Explanation I.-In its application to the
Legislative Assembly of the
State of Sikkim referred to in clause (b) of article 371F of
the
Constitution, this sub-section shall have effect as if-
(i) the date appointed for the first meeting of that
Assembly were the
26th day of April, 1975; and
(ii) the references in clause (a) of this
sub-section to "four years
and eight months" and "six years" were references to "three
years and
eight months" and "five years" respectively.
Explanation II.-In this
sub-section, "existing State Legislative
Assembly" means the Legislative Assembly of a State in existence on
the date of coming into force of this section.
25. Substitution of new article for
article 192.-For article 192 of
the Constitution, the following article shall be substituted, namely:-
"192. Decision on questions as to
disqualifications of members.-(1)
If any question arises as to whether a member of a House
of the
Legislature of a State has become
subject to any of the
disqualifications mentioned in clause (1) of article 191, the
ques-
tion shall be referred for the decision of the Governor
and his
decision shall be final.
(2) Before giving any decision on
any such question, the Governor
shall obtain the opinion of the Election Commission and shall
act
according to such opinion.".
26. Amendment of article 194.-In article
194 of the Constitution, in
clause (3), for the words "shall be those of the House of Commons of
the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and of
its members and
committees, at the commencement of this Constitution", the
words,
figures and brackets "shall be those of that House and of its members
and committees immediately before the coming into force of section 26
of the Constitution (Forty-fourth Amendment) Act, 1978"
shall be
substituted.
27. Amendment of article 213.-In
article 213 of the Constitution,
clause (4) shall be omitted.
28. Amendment of article 217.-In article
217 of the Constitution, in
clause (2),-
(a) in sub-clause (b), the word
"or" occurring at the end shall be
omitted;
(b) sub-clause (c) shall be omitted;
(c) in the Explanation, clause (a) shall be
re-lettered as clause (aa)
and before clause (aa) as so re-lettered, the following
shall be
inserted, namely:-
"(a) in computing the period during which
a person has held judicial
office in the territory of India, there shall be included any period,
after he has held any judicial office, during which the person has
been an advocate of a High Court or has held the office of a member of
a tribunal or any post, under the Union or a State, requiring special
knowledge of law;".
29. Amendment of article 225.-In article 225 of
the Constitution, the
following proviso shall be inserted at the end, namely:-
"Provided that any restriction
to which the exercise of original
jurisdiction by any of the High Courts with respect to any
matter
concerning the revenue or concerning any act ordered or done in the
collection thereof was subject immediately before the commencement of
this Constitution shall no longer apply to the exercise
of such
jurisdiction.".
30. Amendment of article 226.-In article 226 of
the Constitution,-
(a) in clause (1), for the portion beginning
with the words "writs in
the nature of habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, quo warranto and
certiorari, or any of them" and ending with the words "such illegality
has resulted in substantial failure of justice.", the following shall
be substituted, namely:-
"writs in the nature of habeas
corpus, mandamus, prohibition, quo
warranto and certiorari, or any of them, for the enforcement of any of
the rights conferred by Part III and for any other purpose.";
(b) for clauses (3), (4), (5) and (6),
the following clause shall
be substituted, namely:-
"(3) Where any party against whom an
interim order, whether by way of
injunction or stay or in any other manner, is made on, or in any way
proceedings relating to, a petition under clause (1), without-
(a) furnishing to such party copies of such petition
and all documents
in support of the plea for such interim order; and
(b) giving such party an
opportunity of being heard,
makes an application to the High Court for the
vacation of such order
and furnishes a copy of such application to the party in whose favour
such order has been made or the counsel of such party, the High Court
shall dispose of the application within a period of two weeks from the
date on which it is received or from the date on which the copy of
such application is so furnished, whichever is later, or where the
High Court is closed on the last day of that period, before the expiry
of the next day afterwards on which the High Court is open; and if
the application is not so disposed of, the interim order shall, on the
expiry of that period, or, as the case may be, the expiry of the said
next day, stand vacated.";
(c) clause (7) shall be renumbered as clause (4).
31. Amendment of article 227.- In article 227
of the Constitution,-
(a) for clause (1), the
following clause shall be substituted,
namely:-
"(1) Every High Court shall have
superintendence over all courts and
tribunals throughout the territories in relation to which it exercises
jurisdiction.";
(b) clause (5) shall be omitted.
32. Amendment of article 239B.-In article
239B of the Constitution,
clause (4) shall be omitted.
33. Omission of article 257A.-Article
257A of the Constitution shall
be omitted.
34. Insertion of new Chapter
IV in Part XII.-In Part XII of the
Constitution, after Chapter III, the following Chapter
shall be
inserted, namely:-
"CHAPTER IV.-RIGHT TO PROPERTY
300A. Persons not to be deprived of
property save by authority of
law.-No person shall be deprived of his property save by authority of
law.".
35. Amendment of article 329.-In article
329 of the Constitution, in
the opening portion, the words, figures and letter "but subject to the
provisions of article 329A" shall be omitted.
36. Omission of article 329A.-Article
329A of the Constitution shall
be omitted.
37. Amendment of article 352.- In article 352
of the Constitution,-
(a) in clause (1),-
(i) for the words "internal
disturbance", the words "armed rebellion"
shall be substituted;
(ii) the following Explanation shall be inserted at
the end, namely:-
"Explanation.-A Proclamation of Emergency
declaring that the security
of India or any part of the territory thereof is threatened by war or
by external aggression or by armed rebellion may be made before the
actual occurrence of war or of any such aggression or rebellion, if
the President is satisfied that there is imminent danger thereof.";
(b) for clauses (2), (2A) and (3),
the following clauses shall be
substituted, namely:-
"(2) A Proclamation issued under clause
(1) may be varied or revoked
by a subsequent Proclamation.
(3) The President shall not issue a Proclamation
under clause (1) or a
Proclamation varying such Proclamation unless the decision of
the
Union Cabinet (that is to say, the Council consisting of the Prime
Minister and other Ministers of Cabinet rank appointed under article
75) that such a Proclamation may be issued has been communicated to
him in writing.
(4) Every Proclamation issued under this article
shall be laid before
each House of Parliament and shall, except where it is a Proclamation
revoking a previous Proclamation, cease to operate at the expiration
of one month unless before the expiration of that period it has been
approved by resolutions of both Houses of Parliament:
Provided that if any such
Proclamation (not being a Proclamation
revoking a previous Proclamation) is issued at a time when the House
of the People has been dissolved, or the dissolution of the House of
the People takes place during the period of one month referred to in
this clause, and if a resolution approving the Proclamation has been
passed by the Council of States, but no resolution with respect to
such Proclamation has been passed by the House of the People before
the expiration of that period, the Proclamation shall cease to operate
at the expiration of thirty days from the date on which the House of
the People first sits after its reconstitution, unless before
the
expiration of the said period of thirty days a resolution approving
the Proclamation has been also passed by the House of the People.
(5) A Proclamation so approved shall, unless revoked,
cease to operate
on the expiration of a period of six months from the date of
the
passing of the second of the resolutions approving the Proclamation
under clause (4):
Provided that if and so
often as a resolution approving the
continuance in force of such a Proclamation is passed by both Houses
of Parliament the Proclamation shall, unless revoked, continue
in
force for a further period of six months from the date on which it
would otherwise have ceased to operate under this clause:
Provided further that if the dissolution
of the House of the People
takes place during any such period of six months and a
resolution
approving the continuance in force of such Proclamation has
been
passed by the Council of States but no resolution with respect to the
continuance in force of such Proclamation has been passed by the House
of the People during the said period, the Proclamation shall cease to
operate at the expiration of thirty days from the date on which the
House of the People first sits after its reconstitution unless before
the expiration of the said period of thirty days,
a resolution
approving the continuance in force of the Proclamation has been also
passed by the House of the People.
(6) For the purposes of clauses (4)
and (5), a resolution may be
passed by either House of Parliament only by a majority of the total
membership of that House and by a majority of not less than two-thirds
of the members of that House present and voting.
(7) Notwithstanding anything contained in the
foregoing clauses, the
President shall revoke a Proclamation issued under clause (1) or a
Proclamation varying such Proclamation if the House of the
People
passes a resolution disapproving, or, as the case may be, disapproving
the continuance in force of, such Proclamation.
(8) Where a notice in writing signed by not less than
one-tenth of the
total number of members of the House of the People has been given, of
their intention to move a resolution for disapproving, or, as the case
may be, for disapproving the continuance in force of, a Proclamation
issued under clause (1) or a Proclamation varying such Proclamation,-
(a) to the Speaker, if the House is in session;
or
(b) to the President, if the House is not in session,
a special sitting of the House shall be held within
fourteen days from
the date on which such notice is received by the Speaker, or, as the
case may be, by the President, for the purpose of considering such
resolution.";
(c) clause (4) shall be renumbered as clause
(9) and in the clause as
so renumbered, for the words "internal disturbance" in both the places
where they occur, the words "armed rebellion" shall be substituted;
(d) clause (5) shall be omitted.
38. Amendment of article 356.-In article 356 of
the Constitution,-
(a) in clause (4),-
(i) for the words, brackets and figure
"one year from the date of the
passing of the second of the resolutions approving the Proclamation
under clause (3)", the words "six months from the date of issue of the
Proclamation" shall be substituted;
(ii) in the first proviso, for the words
"one year", the words "six
months" shall be substituted;
(iii) in the second proviso, for the words
"one year", the words "six
months" shall be substituted;
(b) for clause (5), the
following clause shall be substituted,
namely:-
"(5) Notwithstanding anything
contained in clause (4), a resolution
with respect to the continuance in force of a Proclamation approved
under clause (3) for any period beyond the expiration of one year from
the date of issue of such Proclamation shall not be passed by either
House of Parliament unless-
(a) a Proclamation of Emergency is in operation, in
the whole of India
or, as the case may be, in the whole or any part of the State, at the
time of the passing of such resolution, and
(b) the Election Commission certifies that the
continuance in force of
the Proclamation approved under clause (3) during the period specified
in such resolution is necessary on account of difficulties in holding
general elections to the Legislative Assembly
of the State
concerned.".
39. Amendment of article 358.-Article 358
of the Constitution shall
be renumbered as clause (1) of that article, and-
(a) in clause (1) as so renumbered,-
(i) in the opening portion, for the words
"while a Proclamation of
Emergency is in operation", the words "While
a Proclamation of
Emergency declaring that the security of India or any part of
the
territory thereof is treatened by war or by external aggression is in
operation" shall be substituted;
(ii) in the proviso,
for the words "where a Proclamation of
Emergency", the words "where such Proclamation of Emergency" shall be
substituted;
(b) after clause (1) as so renumbered, the
following clause shall be
inserted, namely:-
"(2) Nothing in clause (1) shall apply-
(a) to any law which does not contain a
recital to the effect that
such law is in relation to the Proclamation of Emergency in operation
when it is made; or
(b) to any executive action
taken otherwise than under a law
containing such a recital.".
40. Amendment of article 359.-In article 359 of
the Constitution,-
(a) in clauses (1) and (1A), for the
words and figures "the rights
conferred by Part III", the words, figures and brackets "the
rights
conferred by Part III (except articles 20
and 21)" shall be
substituted;
(b) after clause (1A), the
following clause shall be inserted,
namely:-
"(1B) Nothing in clause (1A) shall apply-
(a) to any law which does not contain a
recital to the effect that
such law is in relation to the Proclamation of Emergency in operation
when it is made; or
(b) to any executive action
taken otherwise than under a law
containing such a recital.".
41. Amendment of article 360.-In article 360 of
the Constitution,-
(a) for clause (2), the
following clause shall be substituted,
namely:-
"(2) A Proclamation issued under clause (1)-
(a) may be revoked or varied by a subsequent
Proclamation;
(b) shall be laid before each House of Parliament;
(c) shall cease to operate at the
expiration of two months, unless
before the expiration of that period it has
been approved by
resolutions of both Houses of Parliament:
Provided that if any such Proclamation is
issued at a time when the
House of the People has been dissolved or the dissolution of the House
of the People takes place during the period of two months referred to
in sub-clause (c), and if a resolution approving the Proclamation has
been passed by the Council of States, but no resolution with respect
to such Proclamation has been passed by the House of the People before
the expiration of that period, the Proclamation shall cease to operate
at the expiration of thirty days from the date on which the House of
the People first sits after its reconstitution unless before
the
expiration of the said period of thirty days a resolution approving
the Proclamation has been also passed by the House of the People.";
(b) clause (5) shall be omitted.
42. Insertion of new
article 361A.-After article 361 of the
Constitution, the following article shall be inserted, namely:-
`361A. Protection of publication of
proceedings of Parliament and
State Legislatures.-(1) No person shall be liable to any proceedings,
civil or criminal, in any court in respect of the publication in a
newspaper of a substantially true report of any proceedings of either
House of Parliament or the Legislative Assembly, or, as the case may
be, either House of the Legislature, of a
State, unless the
publication is proved to have been made with malice:
Provided that nothing in this clause shall apply to
the publication of
any report of the proceedings of a secret sitting of either House of
Parliament or the Legislative Assembly, or, as the case may be, either
House of the Legislature, of a State.
(2) Clause (1) shall apply in relation to reports or
matters broadcast
by means of wireless telegraphy as part of any programme or service
provided by means of a broadcasting station as it applies in relation
to reports or matters published in a newspaper.
Explanation.-In this article,
"newspaper" includes a news agency
report containing material for publication in a newspaper.'.
43. Amendment of article 371F.-In article
371F of the Constitution,
in clause (c), for the words "six years", the words "five years" shall
be substituted, and for the words "five years" in both
the places
where they occur, the words "four years" shall be substituted.
44. Amendment of the Ninth
Schedule.- In the Ninth Schedule to the
Constitution, entries 87, 92 and 130 shall be omitted.
45. Amendment of the
Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act,
1976.- In the Constitution (Forty-second Amendment)
Act, 1976,
sections 18, 19, 21, 22, 31, 32, 34, 35, 58 and 59 shall be omitted.
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