Question

Regarding the 104th Constitutional Amendment, consider the following statements:

I. It was introduced as the 126th Amendment Bill by Ravi Shankar Prasad.

II. The President signed it on 21 January 2020.

III. It extended SC/ST reservations but retained Anglo-Indian nominations.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

• A. I and II only
• B. II only
• C. III only
• D. I, II, and III

Answer 1

Answer:

A. I and II only

104th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019

• Purpose: This amendment primarily focused on extending the reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.

• Bill Introduction: It was introduced in the Lok Sabha as the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Amendment) Bill, 2019 by the Minister of Law and Justice, Ravi Shankar Prasad.

• Enactment Date: The President of India gave his assent to the bill on January 25, 2020, making it the 104th Constitutional Amendment Act.

• Key Changes:

  • Extended SC/ST Reservations: The reservation of seats for SCs and STs in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies, which was due to expire on January 25, 2020, was extended for another ten years, i.e., up to January 25, 2030. This was done under Article 334 of the Constitution.

  • Abolished Anglo-Indian Nominations: The provision for the nomination of members of the Anglo-Indian community in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies was discontinued. The 104th Amendment Act made sure that the special representation by nomination for the Anglo-Indian community would cease to exist from January 25, 2020.

• Impact on Nominations: While the amendment extended reservations for SC/STs, it explicitly ended the nomination of Anglo-Indian members, thus altering the composition of representation in the legislature.