The correct option is Half the States must ratify it by a simple majority.
Explanation
Article 368 of the Indian Constitution outlines the procedure for amending the Constitution. While some provisions can be amended by a special majority of Parliament alone, provisions that affect the federal structure of the polity require an additional step: ratification by the State Legislatures.
Detailed Analysis:
- Requirement for Ratification: If a Constitutional Amendment Bill seeks to modify federal provisions (such as the election of the President, the extent of executive power of the Union and States, the Supreme Court and High Courts, the distribution of legislative powers, or Article 368 itself), it must be ratified by the legislatures of not less than one-half of the States.
- Type of Majority in States: The Constitution does not require a special majority for this ratification at the state level. The resolutions ratifying the amendment must be passed by the State Legislatures by a simple majority (a majority of the members of the House present and voting).
- Time Limit: The Constitution does not prescribe any time limit within which the States must give their consent to the amendment.
- Extent of Ratification: Ratification by all states is not required; consent from only half of the states is sufficient.
Key Takeaway:
Amendments impacting federal features require a Special Majority of Parliament plus ratification by half of the State Legislatures via a Simple Majority. There is no constitutional time limit for states to ratify such amendments.