While  considering  the Constitution (Seventy-fourth Amendment)  Bill,
1991  and  the  Government of National Capital Territory  Bill,   1991,
views  were  expressed in both the Houses of Parliament in  favour  of
including  also  the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies  of
Union  territories  in the electoral college for the election  of  the
President under article 54 of the Constitution.  At present article 54
relating  to  the election of the President provides for an  electoral
college  consisting of only the elected Members of Parliament as  well
as  the Legislative Assemblies of the States (not Union  territories).
Similarly,  article 55 providing for the manner of such election  also
speaks   of  Legislative  Assemblies  of  States.     Accordingly,   an
Explanation  is  sought to be inserted in article 54 to  provide  that
reference  to "State" in articles 54 and 55 would include the National
Capital  Territory of Delhi and the Union territory of Pondicherry for
constituting  the  electoral  college for election of  the   President.
This  would  enable  the elected members of the  Legislative   Assembly
created for the Union territory of Pondicherry under the provisions of
article  239A and of the proposed Legislative Assembly of the National
Capital  Territory of Delhi under article 239AA to be included in  the
electoral college.

2.   THE CONSTITUTION (Seventy-fourth Amendment) Bill, 1991 which  was
enacted as THE CONSTITUTION (Sixty-ninth Amendment) Act, 1991 received
assent  of  the  President on 21st December, 1991.  The said   Bill  as
originally  introduced  in  the  Lok Sabha sought  to   incorporate  in
article  239AA  a  sub-clause  (b)  to  clause  (7).    This   proposed
sub-clause  was  subsequently  dropped  since inclusion  of   the  said
sub-clause  would  have necessitated ratification of the Bill  by  the
Legislatures  of  not  less than one-half of the  States  and   thereby
delayed the early constitution of a Legislative Assembly for the Union
territory  of  Delhi.   The said sub-clause (clause 3 of  the   present
Bill) is sought to be inserted in the present Constitution (Amendment)
Bill  with  retrospective  effect  i.e.   from  21st   December,  1991.
Ratification  by States is also proposed to be obtained for the clause
along  with ratification for the other clause of the Bill which  seeks
to amend article 54.

3. The Bill seeks to give effect to the above proposals.

NEW DELHI;                                 K. VIJAYA BHASKARA REDDY.

The 24th March, 1992.

        THE CONSTITUTION (SEVENTIETH AMENDMENT)
                              ACT, 1992

                                                [12th August, 1992.]

An Act further to amend the Constitution of India.

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Forty-third Year of the Republic of
India as follows:-

1.   Short  title  and commencement.-(1) This Act may  be  called  the
Constitution (Seventieth Amendment) Act, 1992.

(2)  Section 3 of this Act shall be deemed to have come into force  on
the  21st day of December, 1991 and section 2 shall come into force on
such  date  as  the  Central Government may, by  notification   in  the
Official Gazette, appoint.

2.   Amendment  of article 54.-In article 54 of the Constitution,  the
following Explanation shall be inserted at the end, namely:-

`Explanation.-In  this article and in article 55, "State" includes the
National  Capital  Territory  of  Delhi and  the  Union   territory  of
Pondicherry.'.

3.  Amendment of article 239AA.-In article 239AA of the Constitution,-

(i)  in  clause (7), for the brackets and figure "(7)", the  brackets,
figure and letter "(7) (a)" shall be substituted;

(ii) in clause (7) as so amended, the following sub-clause shall be
inserted, namely:-

"(b)  Any  such law as is referred to in sub-clause (a) shall  not  be
deemed  to  be an amendment of this Constitution for the  purposes  of
article  368  notwithstanding  that it contains  any  provision   which
amends or has the effect of amending, this Constitution.".