Anglo-Indian reserved seats in the Lok Sabha


Between 1952 and 2020, two seats were reserved in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Parliament of India, for members of the Anglo-Indian community. These two members were nominated by the President of India on the advice of the Government of India. In January 2020, the Anglo-Indian reserved seats in the Parliament and State Legislatures of India was discontinued by the 126th Constitutional Amendment Bill of 2019, when enacted as 104th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019.
The Article 334 of the Indian Constitution gave reservation to the Anglo-Indian community during the creation of the Constitution, the article 334 also says that this reservation would cease to exist 20 years after the commencement of the Constitution. But this reservation was extended to 1970 through the 8th Amendment. The period of reservation was extended to 1980 through 23rd amendment and then to 1990 through 45th amendments, to 2006 through 62th amendment, to 2010 through 79th amendments and to 2020 through the 95th Amendment. In January 2020, the Anglo-Indian reserved seats in the Parliament and State Legislatures of India were abolished by the 104th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019. The reason cited by the Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad who introducing the Bill in the Lok Sabha is that the Anglo-Indians population in India was just 296 in the 2011 Census of India, though the number is disputed.

History

The Anglo-Indian community were the only community in India that had its own representatives nominated to the Lok Sabha in the Parliament of India. This right was secured from Jawaharlal Nehru by Frank Anthony, the first and long-time president of the All India Anglo-Indian Association. The community was represented by two members. This was done because the community had no native state of its own. Fourteen states of India also had a nominated member each in their respective State Legislative Assemblies.
The reserved seats were expected to have been phased out by the 1960s, but continued to be renewed by successive governments, until this provision was abolished.

Before independence

was a nominated member of the Central Legislative Assembly under the 'Special Interests/Anglo-Indian' category in the 1920, 1923, 1926, 1930, and 1934 elections.

Historical Anglo-Indian members in the Lok Sabha

The following is a list of members nominated for the seats after each election.
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