Constitution Section 334 — Reservation of seats and special representation to cease aftercertain period

Part XVI — SPECIAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO CERTAIN CLASSES

Constitutional

Summary

This section sets a time limit on certain special political arrangements. The reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies will end after 80 years from the start of the Constitution. The system of nominating Anglo-Indian members to those same bodies will end after 70 years from the start of the Constitution. However, if the time limit expires while a particular Lok Sabha or state assembly is still in session, those seats or nominations will continue until that House or Assembly is dissolved.

Official Text

Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of this Part, the provisions of this Constitution relating to—

(a) the reservation of seats for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in the House of the People and in the Legislative Assemblies of the States; and

(b) the representation of the Anglo-Indian community in the House of the People and in the Legislative Assemblies of the States by nomination,shall cease to have effect on the expiration of a period of eighty years in respect of clause (a) and seventy years in respect of clause (b) from the commencement of this Constitution:Provided that nothing in this article shall affect any representation in the House of the People or in the Legislative Assembly of a State until the dissolution of the then existing House or Assembly, as the case may be.