Question

The First Constitutional Amendment was enacted in:

• A. 1950
• B. 1951
• C. 1967
• D. 1975

Hint:

The First Constitutional Amendment Act, 1951, introduced the Ninth Schedule and placed reasonable restrictions on fundamental rights, particularly freedom of speech and property rights.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept.
The question asks for the year in which the First Amendment to the Constitution of India was enacted. The Constitution of India came into force on 26 January 1950. Constitutional amendments are made by Parliament to modify, clarify, or strengthen the provisions of the Constitution as required by the evolving needs of governance.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation.
The First Constitutional Amendment Act, 1951, was introduced by the then Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, on 10 May 1951 and was enacted on 18 June 1951.
This amendment made several important changes, including: - Restricting the scope of the Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression (Article 19) to allow reasonable restrictions.
- Making changes to the Right to Property (Article 31).
- Introducing the Ninth Schedule to protect certain land reform and socio-economic legislation from judicial review.

Step 3: Analysis of Options.
- (A) 1950: Incorrect — this is the year the Constitution came into force.
- (B) 1951: Correct — year of enactment of the First Amendment.
- (C) 1967: Incorrect — corresponds to later amendments.
- (D) 1975: Incorrect — refers to the 42nd Amendment (Emergency period).
Step 4: Final Answer.
Hence, the First Constitutional Amendment was enacted in the year 1951.