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Polity & Governance GS 2 In the news 17 times

Article 368

Special Majority for Constitutional Amendments

Article 368 of the Constitution prescribes the procedure for amending the Constitution. Most substantive amendments require a "special majority": a majority of the total membership of each House AND not less than two-thirds of members present and voting in that House. Some amendments that affect federal features additionally require ratification by at least half the State Legislatures.

Key details
  • Special majority = majority of total House strength + two-thirds of members present and voting.
  • The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill requires this special majority in both Houses separately.
  • Ordinary legislation passes by a simple majority (more than 50% of members present and voting); constitutional amendments have a higher threshold precisely to protect constitutional fundamentals from transient majorities.
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Tracked since March 24, 2026 · last seen August 28, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes

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