Govt. Exams
Entrance Exams
Article 131 grants the Supreme Court original jurisdiction in disputes between Union and states or between states.
Article 32 provides original jurisdiction for enforcing constitutional rights.
Article 138 extends original jurisdiction to matters of public importance involving interpretation of the Constitution.
The Supreme Court's original jurisdiction is limited and mainly covers federal disputes and constitutional matters, not general civil/criminal cases.
# Solution: The 42nd Amendment and Constitutional Changes
The 42nd Amendment, passed during the Emergency period, fundamentally restructured the Indian Constitution by expanding certain rights while simultaneously restricting others and making the amendment procedure more rigid.
Step 1: Understanding the 42nd Amendment (1976)
Passed during Indira Gandhi's Emergency (1975-1977), this amendment made sweeping changes to the Constitution's structure. It is often called the "Mini-Constitution" because it altered the basic framework of Indian democracy more extensively than any other amendment.
Step 2: Key Changes to Fundamental Rights and Amendment Procedure
The 42nd Amendment added new Directive Principles of State Policy (environmental protection, public property protection), restricted some Fundamental Rights, and crucially made amendments to Part III (Fundamental Rights), Part IV (Directive Principles), and the amendment procedure itself much more difficult by requiring a supermajority rather than simple parliamentary majority. This effectively reduced judicial review and expanded executive power.
Final Answer: (B) 42nd Amendment (1976) — This amendment expanded the scope by adding new constitutional directives, simultaneously restricted certain freedoms, and fundamentally altered the amendment procedure to make constitutional changes more rigid and government-controlled.
