Key Constitution Amendment Bills since 2014: A look at how they fared

Shifting numbers in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha reshape NDA's strategy, as constitutional amendment Bills face tougher passage despite earlier dominance

Given the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) majority in the 16th (2014-19) and 17th (2019-2024) Lok Sabha, it could ensure the passage of Constitution amendment Bills with the requisite two-thirds majority in the Lower House.

 

The passage of such Bills in the Rajya Sabha, since the BJP and its allies lacked the numbers in the Upper House then, was difficult during the first term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government (2014-19), which meant it referred the Bills to Rajya Sabha select committees to bring the Opposition on board, as happened with the 122nd and 123rd constitution amendment bills.

 

The BJP-led NDA’s numbers are now comfortable in the Rajya Sabha, but it has dropped in the current Lok Sabha, as the BJP fell short of the majority mark in the 2024 general elections. The government referred the contentious 129th and 130th Constitution amendment Bills to joint parliamentary committees, while the 131st Constitution Bill failed to meet the two-thirds majority mark of 352.