Article 24 - Amendment of Article 172 - Constitution (44th Amendment) Act, 1978

Amendment of Article 172 . 24. (1) In Article 172 of the Constitution, in clause (1), for the words six years in both the places where they occur, the words five years shall be substituted . (2) The amendments made by sub-section (1) to clause (1) of Article 172 ( a ) shall not apply to any existing State Legislative Assembly the period of existence whereof as computed from the date appointed for its first meeting to the date of coming into force of this section (both dates inclusive) is more than four years and eight months but every such Assembly shall, unless sooner dissolved, stand dissolved on the expiry of ( i ) a period of four months from the date of coming into force of this section; or ( ii ) a period of six years from the date appointed for its first meeting. whichever period expires earlier; ( b ) shall apply to every other existing State Legislative Assembly without prejudice to the power of Parliament with respect to the extension of duration of such Assembly under the proviso to the said clause (1). Explanation I . In its application to the Legislative Assembly of the State of Sikkim referred to in clause ( b ) of Article 371-F of the Constitution, this sub-section shall have effect as if ( i ) the date appointed for the first meeting of that Assembly were the 26th day of April, 1975; and ( ii ) the references in clause ( a ) of this sub-section to four years and eight months and six years were references to three years and eight months and five years respectively. Explanation II . In this sub-section, existing State Legislative Assembly means the Legislative Assembly of a State in existence on the date of coming into force of this section.