Object And Reasons for Eleventh Constitutional Amendment Act
This act was mainly brought into existence to amend article 66(1). Article 66(1) of the Indian constitution states that the Vice-President has to be elected by members of both houses of the parliament by assembling a joint sitting of both houses. It is found that the requirement of a joint sitting of the members of both the houses of parliament is unnecessary for the election of the Vice-President of India. It also causes practical difficulties. Hence it is, therefore, proposed to amend this article 66(1) to provide that Vice-President will be elected by the members of an electoral college consisting of members of both the Houses of Parliament. This process is used in the election of the President of India under Article 54 of the constitution. The President is elected by an electoral college consisting of elected members of both the houses of the parliament and state legislative assemblies. This complete procedure must be completed before the election of the president. It is in any case, possible that the decisions of the two Houses of Parliament may not be finished before the election of the President or Vice-President. So further, it is proposed to amend article 71 of the constitution so as to make it clear that the election of the President or The Vice – President cannot be challenged on the ground of any vacancy for any reason in the appropriate electoral college.