Constitutional basis
The amendment procedure is set out in Articles 238 and 239. Parliament may amend the Constitution through a bill passed with the constitutionally required supermajorities.
Basic procedure
- A Constitution Amendment Bill may originate in either House.
- It must be passed by not less than two-thirds of the total membership of that House.
- It then goes to the other House, where the same two-thirds-of-total-membership threshold applies.
- If an amendment alters the limits of a province, additional approval by the affected Provincial Assembly is required under the constitutional rule.
- After passage, the bill is presented for assent in accordance with the Constitution.
Why “total membership” matters
The threshold is not two-thirds of members present and voting. Absences effectively make the target harder to reach because the denominator is the total membership of the House.
Evaluation points
- Broad consensus can protect constitutional stability.
- Large coalitions may still amend rapidly, limiting public scrutiny.
- Judicial interpretation affects the relationship between amendment power and constitutional structure.
- The quality of consultation matters alongside formal numerical compliance.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: 22 July 2026. If you spot an error, please use our corrections process.
