Which one of the following Constitutional Amendments states that the total number of Ministers, including the Prime Minister, in the Council of Minister shall not exceed fifteen percent of the total number of members of the House of the People?

Correct Option (b):

The 91st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003, introduced significant changes regarding the size of the Council of Ministers and the anti-defection law. It amended Articles 75 and 164 of the Constitution.

• Article 75(1A) was inserted, which mandates that the total number of Ministers, including the Prime Minister, in the Council of Ministers at the Centre shall not exceed fifteen percent of the total number of members of the House of the People (Lok Sabha).
• Similarly, Article 164(1A) was inserted, applying the same fifteen percent limit to the Council of Ministers in a State Legislative Assembly, with a minimum of twelve Ministers.
• The amendment also introduced provisions (Article 75(1B) and 164(1B)) to disqualify a member of Parliament or a State Legislature, who is disqualified on the ground of defection under the Tenth Schedule, from being appointed as a Minister.

This amendment aimed to prevent an oversized Council of Ministers and strengthen the anti-defection framework.

Incorrect Options:

• 90th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003: This amendment primarily dealt with the re-adjustment of constituencies and the reservation of seats for Scheduled Tribes in the Legislative Assembly of Assam, particularly concerning the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts.

• 92nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003: This amendment added four languages – Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali – to the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, increasing the total number of scheduled languages to 22.

• 93rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2005: This amendment inserted Clause (5) in Article 15, enabling the State to make special provisions for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes in matters relating to their admission to educational institutions, including private educational institutions, whether aided or unaided by the State, other than minority educational institutions.