In India, which one of the following Constitutional Amendments was widely believed to be enacted to overcome the judicial interpretations of the Fundamental Rights?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 1 — 1st Amendment
The First Constitutional Amendment Act (1951) was enacted specifically to overcome judicial interpretations that restricted the government's ability to implement land reforms and social welfare measures. The Supreme Court had struck down several state legislations on land reforms and caste-based reservations as violations of Fundamental Rights, prompting Parliament to amend the Constitution. The amendment introduced Articles 15(4), 31A, and 31B, created the Ninth Schedule, and added reasonable restrictions to Article 19 to address these judicial obstacles.
📝 Short Notes: First Amendment Act, 1951
| Provision Added/Modified | Purpose | Judicial Decision Addressed |
|---|---|---|
| Article 15(4) | Empowered the State to make special provisions for advancement of SEBCs and SCs/STs | State of Madras v. Champakam Dorairajan (1951) - struck down caste-based reservations in education |
| Articles 31A and 31B | Protected laws related to agrarian reforms from judicial review | Kameshwar Singh v. State of Bihar and other Zamindari abolition cases |
| Ninth Schedule | Created a schedule to place certain laws beyond judicial scrutiny on grounds of Fundamental Rights violation | Protected 13 state acts initially (now contains 284 acts) |
| Article 19(2) - Added grounds | Added three new grounds of reasonable restrictions: public order, friendly relations with foreign states, incitement to offence | Romesh Thappar v. State of Madras (1950) - limited state's power to curb free speech |
- Historical Context: The amendment was necessitated by the conflict between the judiciary's protection of individual rights and the government's commitment to socio-economic transformation through land reforms and affirmative action.
- Parliamentary Response: This was Parliament's first assertion of its power to amend Fundamental Rights to fulfill the Directive Principles of State Policy.
- UPSC Note: This question was dropped from the Prelims 2023 final answer key, possibly due to ambiguity or controversy regarding the interpretation.
Question 2 of 5 Important Constitutional Amendments
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