ABSTRACT
India lost a great statesman and able administrator with the passing of Sardar Patel in December 1950; the government felt weakened in facing the challenges posed by continuing communal tensions and violence. Although discussions about the need for a constitutional amendment had begun almost immediately after the promulgation of the new Constitution (26 January 1950), it is noteworthy that some sagacious voices had even earlier cautioned about the need for provisions to restrict fundamental rights in order to safeguard national sovereignty. Eventually, in May 1951, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru introduced a Bill to amend the Constitution. Nehru explained that the government had been considering the matter for several months, and had consulted State Governments, Ministers of Provincial Governments, several Members of the House, as well as experienced jurists. He exhorted the Members to facilitate the amendments mooted in the Bill as these were, in his opinion, both necessary and desirable; Nehru warned that if the changes sought by the government were not made, the country would face great difficulties, as have already been witnessed in the past few months.
