Parliament — Amendments

Amendment	Year	Description	Impact
42nd Amendment	1976	Known as the 'Mini Constitution', this amendment during Emergency significantly altered Parliament's powers by adding Directive Principles to the Preamble, extending Parliament's power to amend any part of the Constitution, and reducing judicial review powers.	Later struck down partially by Minerva Mills case (1980) for violating basic structure doctrine. Demonstrated the limits of parliamentary power to amend the Constitution and strengthened judicial review as a constitutional safeguard.
52nd Amendment	1985	Added the Tenth Schedule (Anti-Defection Law) to prevent political defections by providing for disqualification of members who switch parties or vote against party whip without permission.	Significantly reduced political defections and strengthened party discipline in Parliament and state legislatures. However, created debates about the balance between party loyalty and individual conscience in voting.
61st Amendment	1988	Reduced the voting age from 21 to 18 years for Lok Sabha and state assembly elections, expanding the electorate and enhancing democratic participation.	Increased voter base by approximately 170 million, making elections more representative of the population. Recognized youth as stakeholders in democratic governance and aligned with global trends of universal adult suffrage.
104th Amendment	2019	Abolished the provision for nomination of Anglo-Indian members to Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies, ending a colonial-era representation system.	Removed the last vestige of communal representation in Parliament, aligning with the principle of secular democracy. Reflected changing demographics and the integration of the Anglo-Indian community into mainstream politics.

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