What are the main differences between the passage of a Constitution Amendment Bill and other Legislative Bills?
The main differences between the passage of a Constitution Amendment Bill and other Legislative Bills are:
A Legislative Bill can be passed by a simple majority in both the Houses, while for the purpose of Amendment, provisions of the Constitution are divided into three parts:
- Amendment by simple majority of both the Houses.
- Amendment by two-third majority of both the Houses.
- Amendment by two-third majority of both the Houses plus ratification of not less than one half of the states.
–Only Parliament and not a State Legislature is competent to amend the Constitution.
–In case of dead-lock, the President can summon a joint sitting of both Houses to pass a Legislative Bill, except a money bill. But for a Constitutional Amendment Bill, such a joint sitting cannot be summoned.
-In case of Legislative Bill, the President can withhold his assent or return it to Parliament to reconsider it, but it is not possible in case of a Constitutional Amendment Bill.
Other procedures regarding both of them are same. The rules regarding procedure to be followed in both Houses are decided by Parliament by law. Any bill, except a money bill, can be passed in any House of Parliament. After passing by each House, it is sent to the President for his assent thereto. A bill becomes a law after the President’s assent.
It can be concluded that a Constitutional Amendment Bill, being an important matter, both Houses are given same powers while in case of other Legislative Bills, Lok Sabha has more powers, due to its numerical majority.
Topics: GS-II: Salient Features Significant Provisions of Constitution