Seventy-ninth Amendment of the Constitution of India

The Seventy-ninth Amendment of the Constitution of India, officially known as The Constitution (Seventy-ninth Amendment) Act, 1999, was enacted to extend the reservation of seats for the Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and the representation of the Anglo-Indian community in the Lok Sabha and the State Legislative Assemblies for an additional period of ten years, up to 26 January 2010. The amendment came into force on 25 January 2000, ensuring the continued political representation of historically disadvantaged groups in India’s democratic framework.

Historical Background

The roots of this amendment lie in Article 334 of the Indian Constitution, which originally provided that the reservation of seats for the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and the nomination of members from the Anglo-Indian community would cease ten years after the commencement of the Constitution, i.e., by 26 January 1960.
However, the socio-economic disparities and systemic disadvantages faced by these communities persisted well beyond the initial decade. Recognising this, successive governments extended the reservation period through several constitutional amendments:

• Eighth Amendment (1959) – extended the period up to 1970.
• Twenty-third Amendment (1969) – extended it to 1980.
• Forty-fifth Amendment (1980) – extended it to 1990.
• Sixty-second Amendment (1989) – extended it to 2000.

By the late 1990s, it was evident that although progress had been achieved in improving literacy, representation, and economic conditions among these groups, the objectives of full social justice and equality had not been realised. Consequently, the Seventy-ninth Amendment was introduced to continue the existing provisions for another decade.

Legislative Proposal and Enactment

The Constitution (Seventy-ninth Amendment) Bill, 1999, was initially introduced in the Lok Sabha on 26 October 1999 as the Constitution (Eighty-fourth Amendment) Bill, 1999 (Bill No. 67 of 1999) by Ram Jethmalani, then Minister of Law, Justice and Company Affairs. The Bill sought to amend Article 334 of the Constitution to substitute the words “fifty years” with “sixty years”, thereby extending the duration of reservation and representation for another ten years.
The Statement of Objects and Reasons attached to the Bill stated:

“Although the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes have made considerable progress in the last fifty years, the reasons which weighed with the Constituent Assembly in making provisions with regard to the aforesaid reservation of seats and nomination of members have not ceased to exist. It is, therefore, proposed to continue the reservation for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes and the representation of the Anglo-Indians by nomination for a further period of ten years.”

The Bill was debated and passed by the Lok Sabha on 27 October 1999 with a formal amendment changing its title from “Eighty-fourth” to “Seventy-ninth”. The Rajya Sabha passed the Bill on 28 October 1999. Following the necessary ratification by more than half of the State Legislatures, the Bill received the assent of President K. R. Narayanan on 21 January 2000, and it came into effect on 25 January 2000.

Amendment to Article 334

The Seventy-ninth Amendment altered Article 334 by replacing the words “fifty years” with “sixty years”, thereby extending the constitutional provision for reservations. The revised article reads:

“Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of this Part, the provisions of this Constitution relating to—(a) the reservation of seats for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in the House of the People and in the Legislative Assemblies of the States; and(b) the representation of the Anglo-Indian community in the House of the People and in the Legislative Assemblies of the States by nomination,shall cease to have effect on the expiration of a period of sixty years from the commencement of this Constitution.”

This amendment ensured that the existing system of reservation and nomination continued until 26 January 2010.

Ratification by States

In compliance with Article 368(2), which governs constitutional amendments affecting federal provisions, the Seventy-ninth Amendment was required to be ratified by at least half of the State Legislatures. The following States ratified the amendment:

• Assam
• Bihar
• Goa
• Haryana
• Himachal Pradesh
• Karnataka
• Kerala
• Maharashtra
• Manipur
• Mizoram
• Nagaland
• Orissa
• Tamil Nadu
• Uttar Pradesh
• West Bengal

The States that did not ratify the amendment included:Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, and Tripura.

Significance of the Amendment

The Seventy-ninth Amendment reinforced India’s ongoing commitment to political inclusion and social justice for historically marginalised communities. Its importance can be summarised as follows:

• Continuity of Representation: It ensured that Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes retained their political voice in the national and state legislatures, preventing regression in the process of democratic participation.
• Protection of Minority Rights: The continued nomination of Anglo-Indians preserved their representation and safeguarded their interests within the legislature.
• Affirmation of Social Justice: The amendment reflected the Indian State’s recognition that structural inequalities persisted and that legislative mechanisms were still required to address them.
• Democratic Inclusiveness: It upheld the principle that true democracy requires the active involvement of all social sections, especially those historically excluded from power.

Relation to Previous and Subsequent Amendments

The Seventy-ninth Amendment was part of a long series of constitutional amendments that extended the duration of political reservations under Article 334:

• 8th Amendment (1959): Extended reservation to 1970.
• 23rd Amendment (1969): Extended it to 1980.
• 45th Amendment (1980): Extended it to 1990.
• 62nd Amendment (1989): Extended it to 2000.
• 79th Amendment (1999): Extended it to 2010.
• 95th Amendment (2009): Further extended it to 2020.
• 104th Amendment (2019): Extended reservation for SCs and STs to 2030 but ended representation for Anglo-Indians in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.

This continuity underscores the evolving understanding that political empowerment remains essential for achieving substantive equality and social reform.

Constitutional and Social Impact

The extension of reservation through the Seventy-ninth Amendment had several practical and symbolic impacts:

• It ensured continuity in the participation of Scheduled Castes and Tribes in the legislative process, thereby reinforcing their influence on policymaking.
• The amendment strengthened the constitutional goal of equality and social justice envisioned under the Preamble, Fundamental Rights, and Directive Principles of State Policy.
• It demonstrated Parliament’s adaptive response to the realities of Indian society, acknowledging that formal equality had not yet translated into actual social parity.