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The Ninth Schedule was added to the Constitution of India by the
Explanation
The Ninth Schedule was added to the Constitution of India by the First Constitutional Amendment Act of 1951 [2]. This amendment introduced Article 31B, which, along with the Ninth Schedule, was designed to protect land reform laws and the abolition of the zamindari system from being challenged in courts on the grounds of violating Fundamental Rights [1]. Initially, the schedule contained only 13 acts and regulations, but it has since expanded to include 282 statutes [1]. While it was originally intended to provide a shield against judicial review to ensure socio-economic reforms, the Supreme Court in the Kesavananda Bharati case (1973) and later in the I.R. Coelho case ruled that laws added to the Ninth Schedule after April 24, 1973, are open to challenge if they violate the basic structure of the Constitution [2].
Sources
- [1] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 27: Judicial Review > JUDICIAL REVIEW OF THE NINTH SCHEDULE > p. 299
- [2] Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 27: Judicial Review > JUDICIAL REVIEW OF THE NINTH SCHEDULE > p. 299