You have read in this chapter that the 42nd amendment was one of the most controversial amendments so far. Which of the following were the reasons for this controversy?
It was made during national emergency, and the declaration of that emergency was itself controversial.
It was made without the support of special majority.
It was made without ratification by State legislatures.
It contained provisions, which were controversial.
Explanation
Both options (a) and (d) are correct. The 42nd amendment was controversial for two main reasons: (a) It was made during the national emergency declared in June 1975, which itself was controversial as many opposition MPs were in jail when this amendment was passed in Parliament. (d) It contained highly controversial provisions - it attempted to override the Supreme Court's Kesavananda ruling, restricted judicial review powers, extended Lok Sabha duration from five to six years, and made extensive changes to the Constitution including the Preamble and 53 articles. It was described as 'practically a rewriting of many parts of the original Constitution.' Options (b) and (c) are incorrect as the context does not mention any issues with special majority or ratification by State legislatures.