The Indian Constitution, adopted in 1950, is a living document that has been amended over 100 times to address the dynamic needs of the nation. These amendments reflect changes in socio-economic conditions, political priorities, and judicial interpretations. Below is a comprehensive list and detailed analysis of all the significant amendments made to the Indian Constitution, categorized chronologically.

Early Amendments (1951-1970)

1. The Constitution (First Amendment) Act, 1951

• Added Articles 31A and 31B and introduced the Ninth Schedule to protect land reform laws from judicial review.
• Imposed “reasonable restrictions” on the right to free speech under Article 19(2).
• Enabled special provisions for backward classes under Article 15(4).

2. The Constitution (Fourth Amendment) Act, 1955

• Strengthened state control over land and property acquisition.
• Broadened the scope of Article 31, limiting judicial intervention in land reforms.

3. The Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956

• Reorganized states based on linguistic lines.
• Abolished Part A, Part B, Part C, and Part D states and introduced Union Territories.

4. The Constitution (Tenth Amendment) Act, 1961

• Incorporated the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli into India.

5. The Constitution (Twelfth Amendment) Act, 1962

• Included Goa, Daman, and Diu as Union Territories following their liberation from Portuguese rule.

Amendments During Emergency (1971-1977)

6. The Constitution (Twenty-fourth Amendment) Act, 1971

• Affirmed Parliament’s authority to amend any part of the Constitution, including Fundamental Rights.

7. The Constitution (Twenty-fifth Amendment) Act, 1971

• Limited judicial review in matters of land acquisition and compensation.

8. The Constitution (Thirty-eighth Amendment) Act, 1975

• Expanded the scope of the President’s power to declare an Emergency.

9. The Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act, 1976

• Known as the “Mini-Constitution,” it made extensive changes:
  • Added “Socialist,” “Secular,” and “Integrity” to the Preamble.
  • Transferred subjects like education and forests to the Concurrent List.
  • Curtailed judicial review and fundamental rights.

Post-Emergency Amendments (1978-1990)

10. The Constitution (Forty-fourth Amendment) Act, 1978

• Reversed many provisions of the Forty-second Amendment.
• Restored judicial review and fundamental rights.
• Ensured that civil liberties could only be suspended during a national emergency caused by war or external aggression.

11. The Constitution (Fifty-second Amendment) Act, 1985

• Introduced anti-defection laws under the Tenth Schedule to prevent political defections.

12. The Constitution (Sixty-first Amendment) Act, 1989

• Reduced the voting age from 21 to 18 years under Article 326, broadening democratic participation.

Decentralization and Economic Reforms (1991-2000)

13. The Constitution (Seventy-third Amendment) Act, 1992

• Empowered Panchayati Raj institutions by granting them constitutional status under Part IX.

14. The Constitution (Seventy-fourth Amendment) Act, 1992

• Strengthened urban local governance by establishing municipalities under Part IXA.

15. The Constitution (Eighty-sixth Amendment) Act, 2002

• Made education a Fundamental Right for children aged 6 to 14 under Article 21A.

16. The Constitution (Ninety-first Amendment) Act, 2003

• Limited the size of Councils of Ministers to 15% of the legislature’s total strength.
• Strengthened anti-defection laws.

Recent Amendments (2001-Present)

17. The Constitution (Ninety-third Amendment) Act, 2005

• Provided reservations for socially and educationally backward classes in private educational institutions under Article 15(5).

18. The Constitution (One Hundred and First Amendment) Act, 2016

• Introduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST), a unified indirect tax regime.

19. The Constitution (One Hundred and Third Amendment) Act, 2019

• Provided 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in education and public employment under Articles 15(6) and 16(6).

20. The Constitution (One Hundred and Fifth Amendment) Act, 2021

• Restored states’ power to identify socially and educationally backward classes under Article 342A.

Comprehensive List of All Amendments

1st to 50th Amendments

• Addressed land reforms, linguistic state reorganization, and governance structures.

51st to 100th Amendments

• Focused on Panchayati Raj, urban governance, anti-defection, and economic reforms.

101st to 105th Amendments

• Included GST, EWS reservations, and reaffirmed state powers over backward class identification.