What is the significance of the ‘Special Majority’ required for amending the certain articles of the constitution?
An amendment to the constitution requires two different sets of special majorities. In the first place, those voting in favour of the amendment bill should constitute at least half of the total strength of the House. Secondly the supporters of the bill must constitute two thirds of those present and voting. Both the houses have to pass the amendment bill separately in the same manner. (There is no provision for a joint session). This implies that there is sufficient consensus over the proposed amendment, it cannot be passed. The political party in power need to take at least some opposition parties into confidence, if it wanted to amend the constitution, thus making it broad based.
