necessary, therefore, the present amendment had been effected so as to make the conditions
mentioned in clause (5) of Article 356 inapplicable in the instant case.
49. The Constitution (Forty-ninth Amendment) Act, 1984—Tripura Government
recommended that the provisions of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution may be made
applicable to tribal areas of that State. The amendment involved in this Act is intended to give a
constitutional security to the autonomous District Council functioning in the State.
50. The Constitution (Fiftieth Amendment) Act, 1984—By Article 33 of the constitution,
Parliament is empowered to enact laws determining to what extent any of the rights conferred by
Part III of the constitution shall, in their application to the members of the armed forces or the
forces charged with the maintenance of public order, be restricted or abrogated so as to ensure
proper discharge of their duties and maintenance of discipline among them.
It was proposed to amend Article 33 so as to bring within its ambit:
(i) the members of the Force charged with the protection of property belonging to or in the
charge or possession of the state; or
(ii) persons employed in any bureau or other organisation established by the state for
purposes of intelligence or counter-intelligence; or
(iii) persons employed in or in connection with the telecommunication systems set up for
the purposes of any Force, bureau or organisation.
Experience has revealed that the need for ensuring proper discharge of their duties and
maintenance of discipline among them is of paramount importance in the national interest.
51. The Constitution (Fifty-first Amendment) Act, 1984—Article 330 has been amended by
this Act for providing reservation of seats for Scheduled Tribes in Meghalaya, Nagaland,
Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram in Parliament and Article 332 has been amended to provide
similar reservation in the Legislative Assemblies of Nagaland and Meghalaya to meet the
aspirations of local tribal population.
52. The Constitution (Fifty-second Amendment) Act, 1985—It amends the Constitution to
provide that a Member of Parliament or a State Legislature who defects or is expelled from the
party which set him up as a candidate in the election or if an independent member of the House
joins a political party after expiry of six months from the date on which he takes seat in the
House shall be disqualified to remain a member of the House. The Act also makes suitable
provisions with respect to splits in and merger of political parties.
53. The Constitution (Fifty-third Amendment) Act, 1986—This has been enacted to give
effect to the Memorandum of Settlement of Mizoram which was signed by Government of India
and Mizoram Government with Mizoram National Front on 30th June 1986. For this purpose, a
new Article 371G has been inserted in the Constitution inter alia preventing application of any
Act of Parliament in Mizoram in respect of religious or social practices of Mizos, Mizos’
customary law and procedure, administration of civil and criminal practice involving decisions
according to Mizos’ customary law and ownership and transfer of land unless a resolution is
passed in the Legislative Assembly to that effect. This, however, will not apply to any Central
Act already in force in Mizoram before the commencement of this amendment. The new Article
also provides that the Legislative Assembly of Mizoram shall consist of not less than 40
members.
54. The Constitution (Fifty-fourth Amendment) Act, 1986—This Act increases the salaries