Which Amendment to the Constitution of India fixed that the size of the Council of Ministers at the Union and State levels shall not exceed 15 percent of the total number of members of the House of the People or the Legislative Assembly of a State?

Introduction / Context:
At one time, both the Union and several State governments in India had very large Councils of Ministers, leading to concerns about unnecessary expenditure and the creation of excessively big cabinets for political reasons. To address this, a Constitutional Amendment placed a ceiling on the size of the Council of Ministers. This question asks you to identify which Amendment prescribed that the Council of Ministers shall not exceed 15 percent of the total number of members of the Lok Sabha or the Legislative Assembly of a State.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The issue is the maximum size of the Council of Ministers at Union and State levels.
• The question mentions the 15 percent limit.
• Options list the 87th, 90th, 91st, and 97th Constitutional Amendments.
• We assume familiarity with reforms aimed at curbing the size of ministries and anti defection related changes.

Concept / Approach:
The 91st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003, introduced several changes to strengthen the anti defection provisions and to limit the size of the Council of Ministers. It inserted a new clause providing that the total number of ministers, including the Prime Minister or Chief Minister, shall not exceed 15 percent of the total number of members of the House of the People or the Legislative Assembly of a State. This ceiling was motivated by the need to promote efficiency and reduce the costs and distortions associated with very large cabinets.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the 91st Amendment is associated with anti defection reforms and the ceiling on the number of ministers.Step 2: Note that it fixed the maximum size of the Union and State Councils of Ministers at 15 percent of the strength of the relevant elected house.Step 3: Compare the Amendment numbers given in the options and identify 91st as the one connected to this provision.Step 4: Recognise that the 87th and 97th Amendments dealt with other constitutional issues such as constituency delimitation and cooperative societies.Step 5: Select the 91st Constitutional Amendment Act as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Constitutional summaries and polity textbooks explicitly state that the 91st Amendment placed a cap on the number of ministers at the Union and State levels, setting the limit at 15 percent of the membership of the Lok Sabha or a State Legislative Assembly. They discuss this change alongside strengthened anti defection measures like disqualification of defectors from receiving ministerial office. No other Amendment is associated with this specific 15 percent ceiling, confirming that the 91st Amendment is the answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• 87th Constitutional Amendment Act: This Amendment dealt mainly with readjustment of parliamentary constituencies based on census figures.
• 97th Constitutional Amendment Act: It concerns cooperative societies and added provisions related to their promotion and regulation, not the size of councils of ministers.
• 90th Constitutional Amendment Act: This Amendment related to reservation and other specific matters but not to limiting the size of ministries.

Common Pitfalls:
Candidates sometimes confuse the numbering of Amendments in the 80s and 90s, especially when multiple reforms occurred in a short period. Another mistake is to misremember the percentage or link it with wrong Amendment numbers. To avoid such errors, it helps to associate the 91st Amendment with two keywords: anti defection strengthening and 15 percent limit on the Council of Ministers. This association makes it easier to recall the correct answer even under exam pressure.

Final Answer:
The ceiling that the Council of Ministers shall not exceed 15 percent of the House strength was introduced by the 91st Constitutional Amendment Act of India.