Which amendment abolished the privy purse and privileges of the former rulers of princely states?

Correct option is D

The correct answer is: (d) Twenty-sixth Amendment Act, 19711
Explanation:
· The Twenty-sixth Amendment Act, 1971 abolished the Privy Purse and all privileges granted to the former rulers of the Princely States.2
· This amendment omitted Articles 291 and 362 of the Constitution, which guaranteed these payments and rights.3
· It also inserted a new Article 363A, which expressly stated that the recognition granted to the Rulers of Indian States ceased to exist and privy purses were abolished forever.
· This move was driven by the government's objective to create an egalitarian society and reduce economic disparity, arguing that hereditary privileges were incompatible with democracy.
Information Booster:
· What was Privy Purse? It was a tax-free payment made to the royal families of erstwhile princely states as part of the agreement for their accession to India in 1947.
· The Legal Battle: Before this amendment, the Supreme Court had struck down the government's executive order to derecognize the princes in the famous Madhav Rao Scindia case (1970).4 The 26th Amendment was enacted to overcome this judicial ruling.
· Prime Minister: This historic amendment was passed during the tenure of Indira Gandhi.
Additional Knowledge (Incorrect Options):
Twenty-fifth Amendment Act, 1971 (Option a)
· This amendment curtailed the Right to Property.5 It introduced Article 31C, stating that laws made to implement Directive Principles (specifically 39(b) and 39(c)) could not be challenged on the grounds of violating Fundamental Rights (Articles 14, 19, and 31).
Twenty-fourth Amendment Act, 1971 (Option c)
· This was a reaction to the Golaknath case. It affirmed the Parliament's power to amend any part of the Constitution, including Fundamental Rights, by amending Articles 13 and 368. It also made it obligatory for the President to give assent to a Constitutional Amendment Bill.
Thirty-first Amendment Act, 1972 (Option b)
· This amendment increased the number of seats in the Lok Sabha from 525 to 545. It was done because the population of India had increased as revealed in the 1971 Census.