Correct Option
The correct option is If 400 members are present and voting, at least 273 must support the bill.
Explanation
Under Artic of the Constitution, a "Special Majority" required for passing a Constitutional Amendment Bill mandates the simultaneous fulfillment of two distinct conditions:
- A majority of the total membership of the House (i.e., more than 50% of the total strength).
- A majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of that House present and voting.
Both thresholds must be cleared for the motion to pass.
Option Analysis
- If 400 members are present and voting, at least 273 must support the bill. is Correct:
Assuming the total strength of the Lok Sabha is 545 (as implied by the context of the numbers), the majority of the total membership is 273.
If 400 members are present and voting:- The two-thirds requirement is \( 400 \times \frac{2}{3} \approx 267 \) votes.
- However, the bill must also secure the majority of the total membership (273).
- Since 273 is higher than 267, the minimum support required becomes 273. Therefore, this scenario satisfies the constitutional requirement.
- If 300 members are present, 200 votes are sufficient to pass the amendment. is Incorrect:
If 300 members are present and voting:
- Two-thirds of 300 is 200 votes.
- While this meets the "two-thirds present and voting" condition, 200 votes are far below the "majority of total membership" (273). Thus, the amendment fails.
- If 545 members are present, only a simple majority (273) is needed. is Incorrect:
If 545 members are present and voting:
- Two-thirds of 545 is approximately 364 votes.
- A simple majority (273) is insufficient because it fails to meet the two-thirds requirement (364).
- The bill requires support from 50% of those present, regardless of total strength. is Incorrect: This statement describes a Simple Majority (more than 50% of members present and voting), which is used for ordinary bills, not for amending the Constitution under Article 368.
Key Takeaway: The Special Majority under Article 368 is a double majority. It acts as a safeguard by ensuring that an amendment is supported by both a broad consensus of the House (total strength) and a high proportion of those actually participating in the vote (two-thirds present).