---
title: "42nd Amendment Act, 1976: What It Changed | Model Diplomat"
description: "The 42nd Amendment Act, 1976 added \"socialist, secular\" to the Preamble, the Fundamental Duties, and curbed judicial review during India's Emergency."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/forty-second-amendment-act-1976"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- The 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976 was a wide-ranging amendment to the Indian Constitution enacted during the Emergency that expanded Parliament's powers and curtailed judicial review.
- Why is the 42nd Amendment called the "Mini-Constitution"?
- Which 42nd Amendment provisions were later struck down or reversed?
- How did the 42nd Amendment relate to the basic structure doctrine?
- What parts of the 42nd Amendment remain in force today?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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## Timeline

1. 25 June 1975

   The 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976 was passed by the Indian Parliament during the National Emergency proclaimed under Article 352 on , and is the mo…

2. 18 December 1976

   The Act received presidential assent on , with most provisions commencing 3 January 1977.

3. 3 January 1977

   The Act received presidential assent on 18 December 1976, with most provisions commencing .

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Example

In November 2024, the Supreme Court of India dismissed petitions seeking removal of the words "socialist" and "secular"—added to the Preamble by the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976—upholding their retention.

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