THE CONSTITUTION (SEVENTY-EIGHTH AMENDMENT) ACT, 1995

Statement of Objects and Reasons appended to the Constitution
       (Eighty-first Amendment) Bill, 1994 which was enacted as
         THE CONSTITUTION (Seventy-eighth Amendment) Act, 1995

                   STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS

Article  31B of the Constitution confers on the enactments included in
the  Ninth Schedule to the Constitution immunity from legal  challenge
on  the  ground that they violate the fundamental right  enshrined  in
Part  III of the Constitution.  The Schedule consists of list of  laws
enacted  by  various  State Governments and Central  Government   which
inter alia affect rights and interest in property including land.

2.   In  the past, whenever it was found that progressive  legislation
conceived  in the interest of the public was imperilled by litigation,
recourse  was taken to the Ninth Schedule.  Accordingly, several State
enactments  relating to land reforms and ceiling on agricultural  land
holdings  have already been included in the Ninth Schedule.  Since the
Government  is  committed to give importance to land reforms,  it  has
been certain decided to include land reform laws in the Ninth Schedule
so  that  they  are  not  challenged before  the   Courts.   The  State
Governments  of  Bihar, Karnataka, Kerala, Orissa,  Rajasthan;    Tamil
Nadu  and  West Bengal have suggested the inclusion of some  of  their
Acts relating to land reforms in the Ninth Schedule.

3.   Since the amendment to Acts which are already placed in the Ninth
Schedule  are  not  automatically immunised from  legal   challenge,  a
number  of  amending  Acts along with a few principal  Acts  are   also
proposed  to  be included in the Ninth Schedule so as to  ensure  that
implementation of these Acts is not adversely, affected by litigation.

4. The Bill seeks to achieve the above objects.

NEW DELHI;                                     RAMESHWAR THAKUR.

The 22nd February, 1994.

THE CONSTITUTION (SEVENTY-EIGHTH AMENDMENT) ACT, 1995

                                         [30th August, 1995.]

An Act further to amend the Constitution of India.

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Forty-sixth Year of the Republic of
India as follows:-

1.    Short   title.-This   Act   may  be  called  the   Constitution
(Seventy-eighth Amendment) Act, 1995.

2.   Amendment  of the Ninth Schedule.-In the Ninth Schedule  to  the
Constitution,  after  entry  257A  and  before  the   Explanation,  the
following entries shall be inserted, namely:-

"258.   The Bihar Privileged Persons Homestead Tenancy Act, 1947
(Bihar Act 4 of 1948).

259.    The  Bihar  Consolidation   of   Holdings  and  Prevention   of
Fragmentation Act, 1956 (Bihar Act 22 of 1956).

260.    The  Bihar  Consolidation   of   Holdings  and  Prevention   of
Fragmentation (Amendment) Act, 1970 (Bihar Act 7 of 1970).

261.   The Bihar Privileged Persons Homestead Tenancy (Amendment) Act,
1970 (Bihar Act 9 of 1970).

262.    The  Bihar  Consolidation   of   Holdings  and  Prevention   of
Fragmentation (Amendment) Act, 1973 (Bihar Act 27 of 1975).

263.    The  Bihar  Consolidation   of   Holdings  and  Prevention   of
Fragmentation (Amendment) Act, 1981 (Bihar Act 35 of 1982).

264.  The Bihar Land Reforms (Fixation of Ceiling Area and Acquisition
of Surplus Land) (Amendment) Act, 1987 (Bihar Act 21 of 1987).

265.   The Bihar Privileged Persons Homestead Tenancy (Amendment) Act,
1989 (Bihar Act 11 of 1989).

266.   The  Bihar Land Reforms (Amendment) Act, 1989 (Bihar Act 11  of
1990).

267.   The  Karnataka  Scheduled   Castes and  Scheduled  Tribes  (Pro-
hibition  of  Transfer  of  Certain   Lands)   (Amendment)  Act,   1984
(Karnataka Act 3 of 1984).

268.   The Kerala Land Reforms (Amendment) Act, 1989 (Kerala Act 16 of
1989).

269.  The Kerala Land Reforms (Second Amendment) Act, 1989 (Kerala Act
2 of 1990).

270.   The Orissa Land Reforms (Amendment) Act, 1989 (Orissa Act 9  of
1990).

271.  The Rajasthan Tenancy (Amendment) Act, 1979 (Rajasthan Act 16 of
1979).

272.   The Rajasthan Colonisation (Amendment) Act, 1987 (Rajasthan Act
2 of 1987).

273.   The Rajasthan Colonisation (Amendment) Act, 1989 (Rajasthan Act
12 of 1989).

274.   The  Tamil  Nadu  Land Reforms (Fixation of  Ceiling  on  Land)
Amendment Act, 1983 (Tamil Nadu Act 3 of 1984).

275.   The  Tamil  Nadu  Land Reforms (Fixation of  Ceiling  on  Land)
Amendment Act, 1986 (Tamil Nadu Act 57 of 1986).

276.  The Tamil Nadu Land Reforms (Fixation of Ceiling on Land) Second
Amendment Act, 1987 (Tamil Nadu Act 4 of 1988).

277.   The  Tamil  Nadu  Land Reforms (Fixation  of  Ceiling  on  Land
(Amendment) Act, 1989 (Tamil Nadu Act 30 of 1989).

278.   The West Bengal Land Reforms (Amendment) Act, 1981 (West Bengal
Act 50 of 1981).

279.   The West Bengal Land Reforms (Amendment) Act, 1986 (West Bengal
Act 5 of 1986).

280.   The West Bengal Land Reforms (Second Amendment) Act, 1986 (West
Bengal Act 19 of 1986).

281.   The West Bengal Land Reforms (Third Amendment) Act, 1986  (West
Bengal Act 35 of 1986).

282.   The West Bengal Land Reforms (Amendment) Act, 1989 (West Bengal
Act 23 of 1989).

283.   The West Bengal Land Reforms (Amendment) Act, 1990 (West Bengal
Act 24 of 1990).

284.  The West Bengal Land Reforms Tribunal Act, 1991 (West Bengal Act
12 of 1991).".