Article 334

Sunset Clause for Political Reservations and Extensions

Official heading: “Reservation of seats and special representation to cease after certain period”

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Source edition: The Constitution of India (as on 1 May 2026)
Source locator: Part XVI, Article 334, printed pages 192–193
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1. In One Sentence

Originally set a ten-year sunset for political reservations, successively extended up to eighty years (until 2030) for SC/ST seats, while allowing Anglo-Indian nominations to lapse.

2. What It Means in Everyday Language

Article 334 is the famous constitutional "sunset clause" governing the duration of political reservations in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.

When enacted in 1950, the framers intended political reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and nominated Anglo-Indian representation to last for ten years.

Recognizing persistent structural inequalities, Parliament enacted successive constitutional amendments (the 8th, 23rd, 45th, 62nd, 79th, and 95th Amendments) extending the deadline by ten-year intervals.

Most recently, the Constitution (One Hundred and Fourth Amendment) Act, 2019 substituted "eighty years in respect of clause (a) and seventy years in respect of clause (b)". This extended SC and ST seat reservations until 25 January 2030, while allowing the seventy-year period for Anglo-Indian nominations to expire in 2020.

3. Practical Illustrative Example

Everyday Scenario:

Parliament evaluates whether affirmative political quotas in legislative bodies should continue past their statutory milestone.

Core takeaway: Article 334 requires positive constitutional amendment every ten years to renew political reservations; without amendment, quotas automatically cease.

Illustrative Notice: The expiration applies strictly to political legislative reservations; it does not terminate educational or public employment reservations governed by Articles 15(4) and 16(4).

4. Important Limits, Qualifications & Exceptions

Article 334 balances temporary affirmative political support with the objective of societal integration.

Eighty-year timeline: SC and ST reservations under clause (a) remain constitutionally protected until 25 January 2030.
Seventy-year sunset: Anglo-Indian nominations under clause (b) ended on 25 January 2020 after completing seventy years.
Dissolution proviso: An expiration does not unseat serving legislators until the then-existing House or Assembly dissolves.

5. Operative Constitutional 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.

Transcription for reference; compare with the linked official editionNot yet verified by a human legal reviewer

6. Sources & Historical Assembly Deliberations

Assembly quotations are withheld until wording, dates, and attribution have been checked against the primary record.

Sources & Citation Metadata

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Constitutional TextThe Constitution of India (as on 1 May 2026)Cited PDF page
Government of India (Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice) • Part XVI, Article 334, printed pages 192–193 • Human source-link check pending
Primary PDF accessed and transcribed with AI assistance on 14 October 2026. Formatting and amendment annotation markers are omitted; operative wording is retained. This is not human legal review. Later amendments and commencement notifications have not been comprehensively checked.

Human legal review is pending; compare the text with the cited editionNon-partisan educational resource