Question

Choose the correct statement(s) regarding the 104th Constitutional Amendment.

i) The 104th Amendment extended the reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha and State Legislatures until January 2030.

ii) The amendment abolished the reservation for Anglo-Indian representatives in the Lok Sabha and State Legislatures.

iii) The 126th Amendment Bill was introduced by Thawar Chand Gehlot in the Lok Sabha.

iv) The amendment came into force on 21 January 2020.

• A. i and ii only
• B. i, ii, and iv only
• C. ii and iii only
• D. i, iii, and iv only

Answer 1

Answer:

A. i and ii only

104th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019

• Extension of Reservation for SCs and STs: The primary objective of this amendment was to extend the reservation of seats for the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. This extension is for a period of ten years, from the commencement of the Act, i.e., until January 2030. This provision was originally set to expire in January 2020.

• Discontinuation of Anglo-Indian Reservation: A significant change brought about by the 104th Amendment was the discontinuation of the provision for the nomination of members of the Anglo-Indian community in the Lok Sabha and State Legislatures. Prior to this amendment, Article 334 of the Constitution provided for such nominations. The 104th Amendment effectively ended this special representation.

• Background of the Amendment: The reservation for SCs and STs was initially intended for a period of ten years, as per Article 334. However, it has been extended multiple times through subsequent constitutional amendments to ensure their continued representation. The 104th Amendment is the latest in this series of extensions for SCs and STs.

• Legislative Process: While the question mentions the 126th Amendment Bill, it's important to note that the 104th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019 is the actual legislation that came into effect. The 126th Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2019 was indeed introduced in the Lok Sabha and paved the way for the 104th Amendment Act.

• Date of Enforcement: The 104th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019 came into force on January 25, 2020. This date marks the commencement of the extended reservation period for SCs and STs and the cessation of nominations for Anglo-Indians.

Key Points for Competitive Exams:

• Understand the specific articles of the Constitution affected by this amendment (primarily Article 334).

• Differentiate between the extension of reservation for SC/ST and the discontinuation of reservation for Anglo-Indians.

• Note the year of the amendment (2019) and the year it came into force (2020).

• Be aware that the reservation for SC/ST has been extended until 2030.

• Recognize that the nomination of Anglo-Indian members to legislative bodies has been abolished.