THE CONSTITUTION (THIRTY-FIRST AMENDMENT) ACT, 1973
[17th October, 1973.]
An Act further to amend the Constitution of India.
Be It enacted by Parliament in the Twenty-fourth Year of the Republic of India as follows:---
1. Short title.-This Act may be called the Constitution (Thirty-first Amendment) Act, 1973.
2. Amendment of article 81.-In article 81 of the Constitution,-
(a) in clause (1),-
(i) in sub-clause (a), for the words "five hundred members", the words "five hundred and twenty-five members" shall be substituted; and
(ii) in sub-clause (b), for the words "twenty-five members", the words "twenty members" shall be substituted;
(b) in clause (2), after sub-clause (b), the following proviso shall be inserted, namely:-
"Provided that the provisions of sub-clause (a) of this clause shall not be applicable for the purpose of allotment of seats in the House of the People to any State so long as the population of that State does not exceed six millions.".
3. Amendment of article 330.-(1) In article 330 of the Constitution,-
(a) in sub-clause (b) of clause (1), for the words "except the
Scheduled Tribes in the tribal areas of Assam and in Nagaland, and",
the following shall be substituted, namely:-
"except the Scheduled Tribes-
(i) in the tribal areas of Assam;
(ii) in Nagaland;
(iii) in Meghalaya;
(iv) in Arunachal Pradesh; and
(v) in Mizoram; and";
(b) after clause (2), the following clause shall be inserted, namely:-
"(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in clause (2), the number of seats reserved in the House of the People for the Scheduled Tribes in the autonomous districts of Assam shall bear to the total number of seats allotted to that State a proportion not less than the population of the Scheduled Tribes in the said autonomous districts bears to the total population of the State.".
(2) The amendment made to article 330 of the Constitution by sub-section (1) shall not affect any representation in the House of the People until the dissolution of the House of the People existing at the commencement of this Act.
4. Amendment of article 332.-(1) In article 332 of the Constitution, in clause (1), for the words "except the Scheduled Tribes in the tribal areas of Assam and in Nagaland" the words "except the Scheduled Tribes in the tribal areas of Assam, in Nagaland and in Meghalaya" shall be substituted.
(2) The amendment made to article 332 of the Constitution by sub-section (1) shall not affect any representation in the Legislative Assembly of the State of Meghalaya until the dissolution of that Legislative Assembly existing at the commencement of this Act. |
