Special Majority Under Article 368
What Two-Thirds Really Means
Article 368 of the Constitution requires that a constitutional amendment bill be passed by a special majority: a majority of the total membership of the House (absolute majority, i.e., more than half of 543 = at least 272) AND a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting. Both thresholds must be met simultaneously. The two-thirds test is dynamic — it is calculated on the basis of members actually present and voting on the day, not the total sanctioned strength.
- In this vote: 528 present and voting; two-thirds = 352 votes required
- Government secured: 298 votes — fell short by 54
- The absolute majority threshold (272) was cleared; only the two-thirds threshold failed
- Bills that alter federal provisions (Articles 54, 55, 73, 162, etc.) additionally need ratification by half the State Legislatures under Article 368(2)
● Tracked since April 17, 2026 · last seen August 16, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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