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Constituent Assembly Of India -Volume IVDated: July 15, 1947 The Constituent Assembly of India met in the Constitution Hall,. New Delhi, at Three of the Clock, Mr. President (The Honourable Dr. Rajendra Prasad) in the Chair. PRESENTATION OF CREDENTIALS AND SIGNING OF THE REGISTER The following Members presented their Credentials and signed the: Register:
AMENDMENTS OF THE RULES Mr. President: I shall now take up the amendments of the Rules. RULE 2 Mr., K. M. Munshi (Bombay: General): Sir, I propose to move my amendments rule by rule. Perhaps that would be more convenient to the House. Sir, I move:
As the House will see both these clauses refer to Sections. Rule 2, clause (b) says:
There are to be no sections and therefore the word "Sections or" have to be deleted. Also clause (f) which refers to Sections should be deleted from the Rules. Mr. President: The question is:
The motion was adopted. RULE 3 Mr. K. M. Munshi: Sir, I move:
Mr. President: The question is,
The motion was adopted. RULE 4 Shri K. Santhanam (Madras: General): Sir, I have an amendment to Rule No. 4. I move:
This is consequential to the abolition of the Indian Legislative Assembly and the proviso ceases to have any meaning. Therefore I move for its deletion. Mr. K. M. Munshi: Sir, I accept the amendment moved by Mr. K.Santhanam. Shri Sri Prakasa (U.P): General): What happens to the Members who represent these constituencies (Delhi or Ajmer-Mewar) at the present moment in the Constituent Assembly? Mr. K. M. Munshi: The present members will continue but in case there is a vacancy a provision is being made in the amendment that is going to be moved by Mr. K. Santhanam to Rule No. 5 Special provision has been made for it. Mr. President: The question is:
The motion was adopted. RULE 5 Mr. K. M. Munshi: Sir, I move:
"That for sub-rule (6) the following be substituted
' The reason for these amendments is that no provision was made for the appointment of a Returning Officer and it has been found that such a provision is necessary. Mr. President: The question is: "'That in sub-rule (2) of Rule 3, delete the words 'or the appropriate authority in British Baluchistan'."
The motion was adopted. Shri Santhanam: Sir, I move:
These are all consequential to the changes that have been made and I do not think any further explanation is needed. Mr. K. M. Munshi: Sir, I accept the amendments moved by Mr. Santhanam. They carry out the idea that the representatives of Delhi and Ajmer-Merwara have to elected by the respective Advisory, Councils. Mr. President: The question is:
Mr. K. M. Munshi: Sir, I move: "'That after sub-rule (6) of Rule 5 the following new sub-rule be inserted
This completes the mechanism for holding the election. In Rule 5 we have added a provision with regard to the Returning Officer. With a view to completing the whole mechanism of election it is necessary that the Speaker should be authorised to have a poll taken, if required. Also, there may be rules which may be required to be modified and it may not be possible to come to the Constituent Assembly. In order to complete the elections therefore, the Speaker may be authorized with the previous. approval of the President, to modify the rules. Mr. K. Chengalaraya Reddy (Mysore State): Sir, when the previous amendment was moved, I stood up to raise a question as to What was the provision made for filling up a vacancy, if it arose. in an Indian State. I was told by an Honourable friend that the provision was incorporated in the Rules, and I then sat down. But now, an amendment, has been moved laying down the procedure to fill up vacancy by by-election. On a cursory reading of the Rules I do not find that any provision has been made for filling up a vacancy; if it arose, in an Indian State. I therefore suggest that a suitable provision may be made in the Rules of Procedure. Mr. K. M. Munshi: There is some misunderstanding. As regards elections with respect to Indian States, a Standing Order has been made by the President and they will be governed by the Standing Orders. shall commence and the hour at which it shall close on the date Axed under sub-clause (iv) of clause (b) of sub-rule (6) and the place at These relate to the Chief Commissioners provinces. Mr. President: The question is:
RULE 10 Mr. K. M. Munshi: I come to rule No. 10. that Is with regard to the convening of a meeting of the Sections. I move that the whole of the rule be deleted. Shri Sri Prakasa: I sent notice of an amendment this morning for the insertion of a new rule after Rule 5 Mr. President: I understand that this notice was received this morning. Shri Sri Prakasa: I could not sent it earlier. I sent it today at 10 o'clock. Mr. President: Is it not too late? Shri Sri Prakasa: I think the amendment is an important one because it fills in a lacuna in the existing rules. If you will permit me I shall move it. Mr. K. M. Munshi: May I rise to a point of order? Our Rule '66 states that "No new rule shall be made nor shall any of these rules be amended or deleted except after a reference of the proposal so to make. amend, or delete the rule to the Steering Committee which shall report to the Assembly within two weeks of the of the receipt of the reference". Shri Sri Prakasa: I am. in your hands. I am only trying to fill in a lacuna. New elections have taken place. Rules 4 and 5 have been violated by an outside authority. All the new elections that have taken place in Bengal and the Punjab will Otherwise be ultra vires. Mr. President: Will you please. wait till we have finished the,other Rules? In the meantime, I shall consider it- The question is:
The motion was adopted. RULE 11 Mr. K. M. Munshi: Sir, I move:
Rule 11 provides for five Vice-Presidents, and this is interconnected with Rule 12 which says that the Chairman of each of the sections shall be an ex-officio Vice-President of the Assembly. As there are; no sections now all this becomes unnecessary. In the result there will be two Vice-Presidents both of whom will be elected by the Assembly as a whole. Sir, I move. The motion was adopted. RULE 12 Mr. K. M. Munshi: Sir, I move that Rule 12 be deleted. That is consequential Sir, I move' The motion was adopted. RULE 13 Mr. K. M. Munshi: Sir, I move:
Rule 13 the election of two Vice-Presidents is referred to as being under Rule 12 (1). Now Rule 12 having gone and the matter having been incorporated in Rule 11, Rule 13 should be amended accordingly. Sir, I move. The motion was adopted. Rule 14 Mr. K. M. Munshi: Sir, I move:
Rule 14 says that a Vice-President shall cease to hold office as such if he ceases to be a member of the Assembly. "Any vacancy in the office of an elected Vice-President of the Assembly shall be filled by election by the Assembly as a whole." In view of the changes that have already been made there is no reason to have the words "in elected" because both the Vice-Presidents are elected. Also there is no reason to keep the words "as a whole" because both the vice-presidents are going to be elected by the House as a whole. Sir, I move. The motion was adopted. Rule 17 Mr. K. M. Munshi: Sir, I move:
Sub-rule (6) provides for the Secretary of the section and it lays down that the Secretary of the section shall be a Joint Secretary of the Assembly- As there are no Joint Secretaries the sub-rule should be deleted. Further the words "Joint Secretary" appeal in sub-rule (8)and these words should be deleted. Sir, I move. The motion was adopted. RULE 18 Mr. K. M. Munshi: Sir, I move:
The motion was adopted. RULE 19 Mr. K. M: Munshi: Sir, I move:
The motion was adopted. RULE 23 Mr. K. M. Munshi: Sir, I move: "That after Rule 23 the following be inserted as Rule 23A- '23A.
On the last occasion the question of quorum was not decided by the rules and it was left over to be incorporated in an additional rule. Sir, I Move. Shri K. Santhanam: Sir, I am not moving the amendment that stands, in my name. Shri Sri Prakasa: Sir, may I know if these amendments of Mr. Munshi and the further amendments moved by Mr. Santhanam. had been referred to the Steering Committee and if all this is in the nature of a. note by, the Steering Committee?. Or are Mr. Munshi and Mr. Santhanam; moving these off their own bat? Mr. K. M. Munshi: These rules are not my Own; the are the report of the Steering Committee which I am placing before the House. They were initiated by the Steering Committee and I am moving them on behalf of the Committee. Shri Sri Prakasa: then what about Mr. Santhanam's amendments? Mr. K. M. Munshi: These are amendments of the rules as proposed by the Steering Committee and so they are not covered by Rule 66; they are not new rules. Shri Sri Prakasa: Sir, I do not know if you are satisfied with what Mr. Munshi says. I am not. I feel that you may just as well permit my amendment to be moved which is before you and which I think is very important. Mr. President: I have asked the Honourable Member to wait till the end; the question of moving it does not arise at this stage. Shri Sri Prakasa: An occasional reminder. will be helpful. (Laughter.) Shri Jaspat Roy Kapoor (U. P. Generaly: Sir, I do not propose to move my amendment. Mr. R. K. Sidwa (C. P. & Berar: General): I am also not moving my amendment. Mr. President: Then the amendment of Mr. Munshi will be put to the vote. The question is:
The motion was adopted. RULE 31 Mr. K. M. Munshi: I now come to Rule 31. I move:
Rule 31 says:
Now, Sir, this sub-rule (3) has no efficacy. It has no meaning. I therefore move that it be deleted. Mr. M. S. Aney (Deccan States): Will the Honourable Mover read out paragraph 19(vii) of the Statement. Mr. K. M. Munshi: It reads:
This is a double majority clause which, as I said, has lost its efficacy. Mr. President: The question is:
The motion was adopted. RULE 35 Mr. K. M. Munshi: Sir, I move:
The rule and the provisos run as follows:
For the reasons which I gave yesterday, these provisos become entirely useless. I move therefore that these two provisos may be deleted. The motion was adopted. RULE 36 Mr. K. M. Munshi: I now come to Rule 36. I move first that the word 'exclusive' in the first line be deleted. It says: 'It shall be the exclusive function of the Advisory Committee referred to in paragraphs 19 and 20 of the Statement to initiate and consider proposals...... Now that that Statement is gone, this Statement becomes useless. I move next that the words "Union Constituent" wherever they occur in this Rule and the words "shall be binding on the Sections and" be deleted. Mr. President: You omit only the words "Union Constituent"? Mr. K. M. Munshi: Yes, Sir, The word "Assembly" remains. Mr. President: The question is: That in-Rule 36,-
The motion was adopted. RULE 41 Mr. K. M. Munshi: Sir, Rule 41 deals with the functions of the Steering Committee. Sub-rule (1) (c) runs thus:
I propose that in sub-rule (1) (c), the words "between the Assembly and the Sections, between the Section inter se" be deleted. These words are not longer necessary. The motion was adopted. RULE 42 Mr. K. M. Munshi: In sub-rule (1) (b) of this Rule, for the word 'five', substitute the word 'two'. As there are only two-Vice-Presidents now, this change has become necessary. The Honourable Pandit Hirday Nath Kunzru (U. P.: General): May I know from Mr. Munshi how the amended Rule 41 (1) (c) reads? Mr. K. M. Munshi: The Committee shall act as a general liaison body between Committees inter se, and between the President and any part of the Assembly. The Honourable Pandit Hirday Nath Kunzru: Liaison between the Assembly and the Committees? Mr. K. M. Munshi: No Between the committees. Pandit Govind Malaviya: (U. P.: General): Will Mr. Munshi, Sir, explain what is meant by liaison between any part of the Assembly and the President? I can understand liaison between the committees. Mr. K.M. Munshi: I am not responsible for that. Mr. President: I am afraid the question of interpretation 'has been raised too late- When it becomes necessary to interpret it, we shall do so. The Honourable Mr. Hussain Imam (Bihar: Muslim): If any absurdity becomes apparent it is within the competence of the House to make the necessary consequential change. Mr. President: It does not arise out of the amendment now moved. Mr. Munshi's amendment is to Rule 42. In clause (b) of Sub-rule (1) substitute the word "two" or "five". The motion was adopted. RULE 45 Mr. K. M. Munshi: I now come to Rule 45. I move that in sub-rule (2), delete the words "one representing each Governor's Province". This is also consequential. Sub-rule (2) reads as follows:-this is about the House Committee:
Now there are not eleven Governor's provinces, and the amendment would mean that there may be eleven members but not each representing a Governor's province. I move the amendment. The motion was adopted. RULE 46 Mr. K. M. Munshi: The next amendment is to Rule 46 which relates to other Committees. I move:
This is also consequential. The motion was adopted. RULE 47 Mr. K. M. Munshi: I move that in Rule 47 the words beginning with "and the Secretary of any Section, etc." to the end of the rule be deleted. Mr. President: This is also consequential. The motion was adopted. RULE 48 Shri K. Santhanam: I move, Sir, that in Rule 48 for the word "shall" the word "may" be substituted. This is purely consequential to the amendment with regard to quorum which the House has adopted today. As the rule stands, it says:
Because we had no rule regarding quorum, it was obligatory to state the quorum. Now we have got a rule which lays down the quorum as one-third. Therefore, this obligation is no more necessary. My amendment is that the motion by which a, committee is to be set up may state the quorum, as quorum has already been provided for. Shri Sri Prakasa: May I draw your attention, Sir, to Rule 66? Has this been referred to the Steering Committee? Mr. President: I do not think that the Steering Committee has been consulted, but this amendment follows from the other amendment which you have accepted. It is only consequential. Shri Sri Prakasa: I hope the same ruling will apply in my case. Mr. President: The question is:
The motion was adopted. Rule 49 Mr. K. M. Munshi. I move:
The motion was adopted. Rule 63 Mr. K. M. Munshi: I move that Rule 63 be deleted. This is with regard to the consideration of the draft constitutions by the Provincial Legislatures. I gave my reasons when I presented the report of the Order of Business Committee and I need not repeat them now. Mr. President: Mr. Munshi's amendment is that Rule 63 be deleted Does anyone wish to say anything about it? The motion was adopted. Shri Sri Prakasa: Before Mr. Munshi moves his amendment to Rule 67, I move that Rule 66 be deleted, even if it has not gone to the Steering Committee, as it is purely a consequential amendment. I hope you will permit this amendment to be moved. I think, Sir, that this Rule should go, and the Constituent Assembly should be able to exercise its inherent powers to change the rules 'instead of members having to go to the Steering Committee every time. I have a precedent for this in this afternoon's Proceedings themselves inasmuch as the amendments to the original rules moved by Mr. Santhanam were in no. way amendments to Mr. Munshi's amendments. If you will see, Sir. the amendments moved by Mr. Santhanam. to Rules 4 and 5, you will find ,that 'hey were absolutely new amendments and that they did not go to-the Steering Committee. Since you permitted these amendments to be moved here, I hope you will permit me also to move this amendment. Mr. President: Your amendment is out of order. The amendments to which reference has been made referred to amendments placed before the House and which had come here in due course after being passed by the Steering Committee. Therefore those; amendments were perfectly in order. This Rule has never gone before the Steering Committee and therefore your amendment is altogether out of order. RULE 67 Mr. K. M. Munshi: Coming to the last amendment with regard' to Rule 67, I move:
This is also a consequential amendment. Mr. President: Does anyone wish to say anything on this? Shri Jaspat Roy Kapoor: Mr. President, I am raising a, point of order. Rule 617 is the rule on which Mr. Munshi has been relying so far. Rule 67, Sir, lays down that every proposal must go before the Steering Committee and the Steering Committee must consider it and must submit its report to the Assembly. Now, Sir, all these proposals which have so far been placed before us by Mr. Munshi have I understand been considered by the Steering Committee but in addition. to that the Steering Committee must submit its report to the Assembly So far no report of the Steering Committee has been placed before us. Now, Mr. Munshi is proposing an amendment to Rule 67. I would like to know what is the report of the Steering Committee. With regard to this proposal of Mr. Munshi, if there is no report of the Steering Committee before us, I think it is out of order for him to make any proposal to amend Rule 67. Mr. President: As I understood from Mr. Munshi, all these amendments which he has been proposing were on behalf of the. Steering Committee, and though they are put in the form of amendments it is really the report of the Steering Committee. The Honourable Pandit Hirday Nath Kunzru: Was the President informed that these were the amendments to the rules which had been proposed by the Steering Committee? Mr. President: There was a meeting of the Steering Committee in which all these rules and amendments had been considered and they are, coming from there. Shri Jaspat Roy Kapoor: My submission is that there must be a report of the Steering Committee before us. On the agenda paper all that we have is that Mr. Munshi shall move the proposal as are contained in the Order Paper. There has been no report of the Steering Committee before us. The report of the Steering Committee must be presented in a proper form to the Honourable the President of the Assembly either by the President or by the Secretary of the Committee. Mr. Munshi is neither the President nor the-Secretary of the Steering Committee. The Honourable Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (Bombay: General): On a point of order I would like to ask how this could be raised after the rules have been passed. It should have been asked at the initial stage. Mr. President: I agree. The question was raised at an earlier stage and it was answered that the amendments had been considered by the Steering Committee. Probably the mistake has arisen because it is not so stated in the agenda that this is a report from the Steering Committee. Otherwise, so far as the substantial compliance with the rules is concerned that has been done. Shri Jaspat Roy Kapoor: Then, as a matter of fact, is there any report of the Steering Committee? Mr. President: It is not stated as a report but it is a report submitted by the Steering Committee, Mr. Munshi has been authorised by the Steering Committee to put these amendments before the House on behalf of the Steering Committee. The Honourable Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel: The Chairman of the Steering 'Committee is the President of the Constituent Assembly and the reference may be oral. Mr. K. M. Munshi: The position is that the President of the Constituent Assembly is the ex-officio Chairman of the Steering Committee' ' Naturally he cannot place the report. The ex-officio Secretary is not a member of this House and the Steering Committee has asked one of its members as a Reporter to place its decisions before this House. these rules were the rules- which emanated from the Steering ,committee and which the Steering Committee authorised me to place before the House. Mr.-President: I have already ruled that the amendment is in order. Now I put the amendment which hag been moved by Mr. Munshi to vote. The question is:
The Honourable Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (United Provinces: General): May I suggest that he be asked to send it to the Steering. Committee and it may be taken up later? Mr. President: It is after all more or less a formal business. It rectifies a lacuna which exists in our rules which we have discovered, So, it may not be necessary to go through the formality and send it, to the Steering Committee, if the House permits it. Diwan Chaman Lall (East Punjab: General): Are we bound by the rules we have made? Mr. President: We are certainly bound by the rules. Diwan Chaman Lall: There is no rule under which the President can ask the permission of the House. I want to know what is the proper procedure to amend the rules passed by the Steering Committee. Mr. President: After hearing the amendment if the House still thinks that it should be put to the Steering Committee, then I will do so. Mr.:Sri Prakasa, will you kindly read out the amendment? Mr. M. S. Aney: Rule 66 seems to be very imperative and leaves no discretion to anybody. Unless some power under the rules is given to President to suspend the operation of any rule on account of emergency, I think the President cannot call upon this House to accept any amendment in order to infringe these rules. Mr. President: I thought the House had power to dispense with its own rules when it liked and therefore I must not take upon myself to permit this amendment to be moved. As far as I can see there is no provision for allowing the House or the President to suspend any of the rules, but I take it that it is inherent in the House to suspend any of the rules for the time being and to permit any member to move anything which does not strictly fall within these rules. Shri Jaspat Roy Kapoor: May I draw your attention to Rule 26: which says:
Mr. President: That only lays down the time for giving notice of any motion. That is why I said that if 'the House does not wish to 'take this up, I am not going to allow it. But if the House permits. I shall have no Objection. Therefore, I put it to the House. Will Shri Sri Prakasa read his amendment? Shri Sri Prakasa: After Rule 5, insert the following new rule:
I think, Sir, "hat this rule is self-explanatory. The fact is that the Viceroy acted in a manner which was contradictory to the rules that the Constituent Assembly had framed for itself. Rules 4 and 5 definitely prescribe the manner in which seats will be vacated and filled. These rules were grossly violated during the last few months and new elections were held. Many' members of this House were deemed to have' vacated their seats without having resigned their membership. We have all acquiesced in that. Now, Sir, in order to vindicate our own honour, I think it Is imperative that we should pass a rule so that all that has happened may be sanctioned formally. If we do not pass this rule, I submit, sir, most respectfully that the presence of the new members from Bengal and the Punjab cannot be allowed. I therefore think that it is essential that this rule should be passed. I hope the House will agree. Mr. President: I would like to know whether the House would permit this amendment to be taken up. We are not now going into the merits. The question is whether it Should be allowed to be discussed. The Honourable Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru: I am not saying anything on merits. What I was going to say is this. Even if it is taken up, this is something which the Steering Committee must consider. This is a long drawn out Rule which, even if accepted on merits, has to be looked into by lawyers and others. The question is how it should be accepted. It cannot be taken up in this manner. Otherwise, instead of removing a difficulty we might be creating other difficulties. I submit the proper course is to send it to the Steering Committee. Mr. President: I am putting it to the House. The motion to permit the amendment being taken up was negatived. Shri Sri Prakisa: Am I to take it that this amendment is lost? Mr. President: It is not lost. It is not taken up. You can send it to the Steering Committee and it may come up in due course. Shri Sri Prakasa: May I respectfully enquire what will be the position of the new members who have been elected and who have taken their' seats 9 In the light of Rules 4 and 5, will their presence be allowed Mr. President: I allowed them to take their seats yesterday. They will continue. The Honourable Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru: May I point hat the question that Shri Sri Prakasa has raised is an important question? The question is how to, do it. The bringing up of an informal amendment to the Rules is an improper way. Possibly it will be open to the House to pass a resolution or if it is necessary to change the Rules we may change them. But it must be considered by the appropriate authority. My only submission is that it cannot be taken up in this casual way. Shri Sri Prakasa: We have admitted members in a casual way. Mr. President: We may now pass on to the next item. Mr. H. V. Kamath (C.P. & Berar: General): I submit that in the light of the new rules that have, been made and the old rules that have been amended or deleted all the rules be renumbered omitting all A's etc. Mr. President: We shall do that. I think the House has no objection to the re-numbering of the Rules consequent on the amendments. I -take it that this is agreed to. Pandit Govind Malaviya: Sir I think the right course will be, that the rules should all be correctly re-numbered, and then in a formal manner put before the House en bloc and adopted without any further discussion. That will regularise things. Many Honourable Members: Why' Mr. President: We shall now pass on to the next item. Mr.. Deshbandu Gupta (Delhi): Before the next item is taken up, Sir, may I know what has happened to the amendment 'of which notice had been given by me? Mr. President: That shares the same fate as that of Mr. Sri Prakasa. Mr. Deshbandhu Gupta: In view of the important nature of the amendment, may, I submit that it may be taken up now with the permission of the House. Mr. President: I think there is no use of repeating that experiment You had better leave it. We shall now go on to the next item in the agenda. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel will move the motion standing in his name. Mr.. Tajamul Husain (Bihar: Muslim) Before we proceed with the motion, I would like to know what happened to the resolution which I had sent about four days ago in connection with the motion about to be moved now? Mr. President: I take it that you are referring to the dissolving of the Committee which has already completed its function and submitted its report. Is that the resolution you are referring to? Mr. Tajamul Husain: That is the only resolution I have sent you. Mr. President: I have ruled it out of order because the function of the Committee is already over and it has made its report. Mr. Tajamul Husain: May I know if it is the custom of the House not to inform an Honourable Member who sends a resolution that it has, been disallowed? I have had no information of this up till now. Mr. President: I have ruled it is out of order. Mr. Tajamul Husain: I accept your ruling. I am asking why I was not informed of it. Is it the practice, when an Honourable Member sends a resolution and you disallow it, that you do not inform the member concerned? Mr. President: I shall take care in the future to inform members if I disallow any resolution. REPORT ON THE PRINCIPLES OF A MODEL PROVINCIALCONSTITUTION The Honourable Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel: Sir, I move that this Constituent Assembly do proceed to take into consideration the Report* on the principles of a model Provincial Constitution submitted by the Committee appointed in pursuance-of the resolution of the Assembly of the 30th April, 1947. *APPENDIX This Committee has submitted its report which has been circulated amongst all the members of this House since about a fortnight and the report is in the possession of all the members. What I wish to point out in moving this motion is that report is not the final draft of the provincial constitution. According to the instructions given to the Committee, it has settled certain principles of the provincial constitution, and therefore, this House need not go into the verbal details 'Or into the exact legal form or constitutional form of these clauses that have been submitted in the memorandum. If the various clauses in the report are, after consideration, adopted, or improved upon, then, it will-be the function of the draftsmen or the lawyers who will be entrusted with the work of drafting the constitution to put them the proper form. Therefore, the House need not waste its time on going into a consideration of the language of the various clauses. It should also be remembered that this report contains roughly about 85 per cent. of the draft or 85 per cent. of the principles of the provincial constitution that has to be framed. Because, you will remember' that this House has appointed an Advisory Committee which has to submit its, report after that Reports of the Minorities Committee and the Tribal and Excluded and Partially Excluded Areas Committee are received. These Reports have not yet been received. When they are received, in due course, the Advisory Committee will meet and consider these Reports when the question of protection of minorities rights and interests will be taken into account. It has been agreed that this Advisory Committee should meet during the course of this month and submit its report before this House disperses or meets again. Therefore, that report will come at a later stage. Now, in dealing with the memorandum that is before you. I shall, I briefly touch upon the salient features of the draft. The first question we had naturally to consider was whether the provincial constitution shall be of a unitary type or shall be of a federal type-, and as there was a little difference of opinion on this question, the Committee thought it proper to have a joint session of the Provincial Constitution Committee and the Union Constitution Committee. Both these Committees met and they came to the conclusion that it would suit the conditions of this country better to adopt the parliamentary system of constitution, the British type of constitution with which we are familiar. The two Committees have agreed and the Provincial Constitution Committee.. has accordingly suggested that this constitution shall be a parliamentary type of. Cabinet. Some misunderstanding may arise on some of the items mentioned in Clause 9. Clause 9 provides four items under the note. The first one says, the prevention of any grave menace. to the peace and tranquality of Province or any part thereof. It means that the Governor is probably given powers in the case of a grave menace to the peace and tranquillity in the province, which, I may say, is not exactly the intention of the Committee. The Committee, in setting this question, intended to convey that the Governor shall have only the authority to report to the Union President' about the grave Situation arising in the province which would involve a grave menace to the peace of the province. It was not their intention that this power or authority, as to be exercised by the Governor which may perhaps bring a conflict between the Ministry and the Governor. The Governor having no control over the services, the authority of administration entirely vests in the Ministry and therefore, although there, was. considerable difference of opinion on this question on account of the Prevailing conditions in the country,_ some thought that it would be advisable under the present peculiar unsettled conditions in the country to give- some limited powers to the Governor-eventually the Committee came to be conclusion that sit would not be workable, that it would create deadlocks and therefore, the proper course would be to limit his powers to the extent of authorising him to report to the President of the Union. What steps,, or, what authority the President of the Union exercise would be a matter for the Union Powers Committee to provide in the Union Constitution.. But, so far as the provincial constitution is concerned, it was agreed that this limited power of reporting only should be given to the Governor.. Then, you will sea the second item in Clause 9, the summoning and dissolving of the Provincial Legislature (Clause 20 of this Part). This is a normal power which is given 'in every constitution to a Governor and therefore there is nothing special about it. The third item provides for the superintendence, direction and control of elections. In this matter, I think the Fundamental Rights Committee made a recommendation that in order to ensure fair elections, there should be, appointed a Commission by the President of the Union Constitution, so that it should be above party influences and fair elections in all provinces can be ensured. This, I think, was adopted by this House when the Fundamental Rights were adopted and 'therefore this clause will have to be brought into line with the former resolution adopted by this House. There is then the fourth item the appointment of the Chairman and members of the Provincial Public Service Commission and of the Provincial Auditor General. In this matter also, the appointment of the Chairman and the members of the Provincial Service Commission is generally made on the recommendation of the Cabinet or Ministry. Therefore, when we analyse Clause 9, practically the only powers left to the Provincial Governor is the power to report to the-Union President when a grave emergency arises threatening-menace to the 'peace and tranquillity of the province and the summoning and dissolving of the Provincial Legislature. When we have dealt with Clause 9, we then come to the recommendations of the Committee which deal with the constitution of the legislature whether there should be two Houses or one House. The Committee generally agreed that there should be only one House of Legislature. But it was also agreed that if any of the Provinces wanted a hicameral legislature,.it Should be open to the province to setup, such a legislature, but that the constitution of the Upper House would be, according' to the opinion of the Committee, on the Irish model, where a certain percentage is to be elected on functional representation and' a certain percentage to be nominated and provision has to be made for election. Now, the recommendation of the Committee regarding the Second House is a departure from the existing Act in so far as' half of the members are to be elected by functional representation. There will be representation in the Lower House for special interests such as ,women, labour, commerce, industry, etc. This appears to be a ream. able provision and is in accordance with the Irish model. The Committee have given special attention to the appointment of Judges of the High court. This is considered to be very important by the Committee and as the judiciary should be above suspicion and should be above party influences, it was agreed that the appointment of HighCourt Judges should be made by the President of the Union in consultation with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice of the Provincial High Court and the Governor with the advice of the Ministry of the provinces concerned. So there are many checks provided to ensure fair appointments to the High Court. These are the special features. The principle settled by the Committee is contained in the memorandum and for the rest of the Constitution it was agreed that drafting should be made on the adaptation of the present1935 Act, by making suitable alterations. Therefore, I move that this report of the committee be taken into consideration and if the House agrees, the Report may be taken clause by clause Maulana Hasrat Mohani : (United Provinces: Muslim): *[Sir, my Honourable friend Sardar Patel has presented the Report before you and with due respect to him I raise an objection to it. It is that till the Report on Union Constitution is presented before the House, consideration of this Report seems quite inappropriate. The reason is not this. as Patel Sahib has himself said, that it is not final and the mistakes, it, any, could be rectified later on. If only verbal changes were intended I would never have raised this point. I want to tell you, and through you, my nationalist and national-socialist friends, who are present here, that my objection is a vital and far-reaching one. If you lightly pass over this objection, then I am sure you will have to repent this action of yours and regret it some day. Looking around, I find that except Nationalist members no one else it present here. There was one Communist member from Bengal, but somehow he has been ousted. From amongst the Forward Blockists, Sarat Chandra Bose has resigned from the membership. Mr. Tripathi of U.P. and one Forward Blockist of C.P., though they have not designed their seats, for some unknown reasons they are not present in the House. I feel it my duty to place the view-point of such of my friends before you.] The Honourable Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel: On a point of order. The debate is going on a wrong track and I do not understand what has the question of whether the Constitution shall be- a Republican Constitution or not, to do with the Provincial Constitution and whether, there should be a Dominion Constitution also has nothing to do with it because we are today setting the principles of a Provincial Constitution and when the question as to whether there should be a Dominion Constitution or Republican Constitution comes. Maulana Hasrat Mohani can move any amendment or say anything. To-day we deal with only the Provincial :Constitution draft which can fit in with an Independent India which has nothing to do with Dominion Status and which can fit in with the Republican Constitution according to the Resolution which has been passed by the Constituent Assembly. Therefore, he may not be allowed to cover a wide range which has nothing to do with our present motion. Maulana Hasrat Mohani: *[Had there been some ulterior motives behind it, I would not have put it up in this way. For example, if I had done all this with communal feelings and dilatory tactics. I would have asked you to withhold this Report until the report on Minorities is put up before us. But in fact, the question is simply this that you
should proceed on some principles and do not put up the Provincial Constitution before the Union Constitution is put before the House. No doubt, Pandit Nehru has moved the Objectives Resolution of the Republic, but it has not been made clear as yet whether the pro. posed Republic would be of unitary type or of Federal type. Again it has not been as yet decided in case it is a Federal Republic, whether the Government would be centrifugal or centripetal. If you do not accede to my request, my party will line up with the Leftist groups and with the aid of the Communists and Forward Blockists it will compel you to accede to our demand. Let me explain this also in this way, that, unless there is some change in the Union Constitution and the Constitution of the Union is not made satisfactorily, till then the condition of the Provinces will remain unchanged and, it will not go beyond provincial autonomy, and we will, as an Indian saying has it; "we would always remain shoe-makers that we were", In the Report which Sardar Saheb has just now put up, he has very intelligently stated in it that they wanted to appoint Governors. You will see that with this word only, the whole constitution 'of the Union is defaced and distorted. Even if we accept the suggestion of Sardar Patel. the clear meaning would be simply this that the Provinces would get Provincial autonomy only, and if this is so, I will say that all the years of your sacrifices, labours and the 'Quit India' Resolution, one and all will be rendered useless.]* Mr. President: I think Maulana Hasrat Mohani's amendment is in order. It is open to the House to throw it out. Maulana Hasrat Mohani: *[All the time you were telling us that we, would establish an Independent Republic and parties shall be formed not on the basis of religion, but on socialistic principles.]* Mr. President: * [This is not the question. For the present, the simple question is whether the Report should be considered or not.]* Maulana Hasrat Mohani: *[What I mean is that this you want to pass the-Provincial Constitution by the back door.]* Mr. President: *[You have already stated the reasons. You forgot that this is not occasion to discuss your Republic and all sorts of questions. So far this amendment is concerned, you have already stated, the grounds on which you want to move it; and I feel that other questions should not be discussed.]* Maulana Hasrat Mohani: *[Sir, I will conclude my statement within a short time.- All the Forward Block and Communist 'members are absent, therefore, on their behalf, I will protect their rights, and if by your voting strength in this House, you pass anything as you like, then I will adopt other methods to protect their rights. Once again I submit that all Your actions should be based on principles and that you should protect the rights of all.]* * English translation of Hindustani Speech ends. *[] English translation of Hindustani speech. An Honourable Member: on a point of order, Sir. Is the Honourable Member in order in calling this a packed House? Is it parliamentary? He may be asked to withdraw the expression. Maulana Hasrat Mohani: I did not use any unparliamentary expression. I only said that somehow or other people here are all nationalists and as such were deaf. I did not mean and discourtesy to the House. The Honourable Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru: *[Mr. President, if the Report of the Union Constitution Committee had been under consideration at this time, I would be standing here in a special capacity. But I rise now to remove the misunderstandings that have arisen in the minds of some of the members. It may be that I may not wholly succeed in my object. It is quite possible that I may fail to convince Maulana Hasrat Mohani who is rather a deep person and claims to be at once the representative and spokesman of both the Communists and Forward Blockists. It is quite obvious that if my fear comes true he would suffer from considerable perplexity. But what I intend saying is nothing very incomprehensible and technical. It is quite correct to say that we would be acting improperly if we took up the consideration of the Provincial Constitution without keeping in view the ideals we seek to realise and the goal we seek to reach. We have, it is true, taken up the consideration of the Provincial Constitution, first. Six months ago this House passed a Resolution which placed before it the plan and the ideals. These were approved. When Once the outline of anything has been drawn, the order in which the several problems involved therein are to be taken in hand had to be decided. In this case it so happened that the question of the Provincial Constitution arose earlier and the Report of the Provincial Constitution Committee also was ready earlier. Consequently, members got sufficient time to study this Report. The other Report, however, has been sent to the members only six or seven days ago. Consequently, keeping in view the fact that the members would not have sufficient time to study it, it was considered proper for their convenience not to submit that Report to the House for the time being, but to present the Report of the Provincial Constitution Committee which had been already sufficiently studied. Honourable Members have all received the Report of the Union Constitution Committee. If the President permits, I am ready to present it to the House immediately. The only difficulty in doing so is that the members may complain that they had no time to study it sufficiently, and that even if time be given for studying it would mean the waste of two or three days in doing so now. It was in view of this that it was considered proper to present the report which was ready and had been thoroughly studied. The other report will also be presented to the House just as this one has been. All of you should know that there is no intention of concealing anything or acting in an underhand manner in following this procedure. In the present report the term 'Governor' occurs. This has completely upset the Maulana, I admit that the term 'Governor' has come down to us from the previous regime and that our associations with it are not very happy. But at present we are not concerned with the question of terminology. We do not know whether our Constitution would be in the English or any other language. So far as the term itself is concerned, you are all aware of there being Governors in America as also of the powers and authority they wield. I, therefore, submit that this does not violate in the least the ideas and the principles we have in view. It is my submission that there is no question of [ ]*English Translation of Hindustani Speech begins. principle involved in it. The only question is of the convenient working of this House. If you and Sardar Patel so desire, I am prepared to present the Report of the Union Constitution Committee to the House] * Mr. Mohd. Tahir (Bihar: Muslim): Mr. President, Sir, I rise to support the amendment moved by Maulana Hasrat Mohani, firstly on the basis of a logical formula, viz., what is true of the whole is true of the part. Sir, up till now we do not know as to what form of constitution this House will decide on regarding the Union of India, Certainly, the provinces are parts of India and unless we know the constitution of the Indian Union, it would not be fair to consider the principles of the provincial constitution. Just now, the Honourable Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sir, has said that the constitution of the Indian Union is also ready and every member has got a copy of it. But, Sir, I would submit that having the copy of the constitution with the members is one thing and that taking of decisions by this House is another. Besides this, Sir, the Honourable Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru has just now said that he even prepared now to put the principles of the Indian Union Constitution before the House, and that it was by chance that the principles of the provincial constitution have been placed before the House beforehand. This clearly indicates that he also realises that the consideration of the constitution of the Indian Union should be taken up first. My second point, Sir, would be that we do not know anything about the Report of the Minorities Committee, the Tribal Area Committee, etc., and the recommendations of those committees are to be incorported in the constitution. Unless those reports are received it would not be fair to take up the consideration of the provincial constitution-
Shri Balkrishna Sharma (United Provinces: General): Mr. President, Sir, I rise to oppose the amendment which has been moved by Maulana Hasrat Mohani. When a minute before he was trying to act as a 'Khudai Fausdar', I was reminded of his very famous saying that he is either a Communist or a Communalist. (Some Honourable Members: "Both"). Now, he has become both a communist and a communalist and thereby he has tried to bridge the gulf between Karl Marx and Jesus Christ. The Maulana is a very great man. We have all looked upon him with reverence and respect all our life for his Mitegrity of purpose and honesty, but I have always felt that he is one of those men who have always refused to work in a team. He is a man who is a solitary figure ploughing his lonely furrow. Even in the Muslim League which he joined after a great deal of confabulation, the Maulana, even though he was included in the High Command, remained a solitary figure. Now the amendment which he has moved is a very funny amendment, funny for the very simple reason that it really makes very little difference whether we consider the Union Constitution first or the provincial constitution first, because we have already got our objectives before us by a resolution of this House and anything that is not in consonance with that objective any member of the House is at perfect liberty to point out either in the model constitution for the provinces or in the Union Constitution, and therefore there is very little difference whether we consider the provincial constitution first or the Union Constitution first. The Maulana really raised a fundamental * English translation of Hindustani Speech ends. question as to whether we should have the provincial constitution in nature of merely giving provincial autonomy to provinces or a republican constitution. If the Maulana thinks that the House will fall in line with him, he can certainly bring forward amendments to the provincial constitution, deleting the words which he does not like, making the Governor the President, if he so likes, and giving all sorts and manner of powers that he wants to give to the provincial legislature. If his amendments are not accepted by this House, naturally it will not help him to bring in the Union Constitution for consideration first. Where is the difference, I fail to see. Let it be clearly understood that we have made up our minds not to follow any of the constitutions in a slavish way, neither the American Constitution, nor the British model, nor any other model. We are going to evolve a constitution according to our needs and we shall see to it that we do not fall a victim either to this or to that pattern. The Maulana has talked blibly about the U.S.S.R. Perhaps the Maulana. forgets the very great difference between the U.S.S.R. and this unfortunate land where the Maulana is trying to fly at my throat and I have been trying to fly at his throat. We have got to take into consideration the Situation in which we are placed. I think that,. if our country wants to evolve a constitution which is mid-way between federation and a unitary form of government, we must be at perfect liberty to do so. In a country like ours which is always inventing all sorts and manners of divisions-this fissiparous tendency is a historical tendency-I think we must be very careful that we do not give so much power to the provinces as would lead to further division of the country. It does not make the slightest difference whether we consider the provincial constitution first or the Union Constitution first. If the Maulana thinks that the House will agree with him in making the Provincial Constitution a model republican constitution, he is at perfect liberty to place his views before the House, but if he tries to monkey with it, he will succeed in doing so. Sir, I strongly oppose the amendment which has been placed before the House by the Maulana. Mr. Naziruddin Ahmad (West Bengal: Muslim): Mr. President, Sir, I beg to support the original motion, namely, that the Provincial Constitution be now taken into consideration. The amendment really is to the effect that the Provincial Constitution should not be taken up before the Report on the Union Constitution is considered. I submit, however, that the Provincial Constitution and the Union Constitution are two different things. It does not matter which constitution is taken first. If there are defects, if there are points of difference, if there are points on which any Member feels any objection, it will be open to him to raise the same and move the necessary amendments in the House. As has already been pointed out the Union Constitution Proposals are already circulated and so we know what the Union Constitution proposals are likely to be. The House therefore has a complete picture of what the Union and the Provincial Constitution would be like. I submit that on a matter like this we should not take the time of the House any further and the Question as to which constitution is taken up first is quite immaterial. With these few words, I support the original motion. Pandit Govind Malaviya : Sir, I move closure of this debate. Mr. President: Closure has been moved. The question is:
The motion was adopted. Mr. President: The Mover of the resolution will reply to the debate. The Honourable Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel: The amendment to the motion moved by Maulana Hasrat Mohani is that this motion should be taken up after the consideration of the Union Constitution Committee Report. The Maulana has perhaps seen the Union Constitution report as well as the Provincial, Constitution report, because he has been closely following what is going on in this Assembly and he has seen the objectives resolution of this Constitution that has been passed in the initial stage. Now I ask the Maulana whether this draft motion which I have moved contravenes the fundamentals in any manner of that objective. If it does not contravene in any way the original resolution that has been passed by this House, I do not see how he could have any doubts whether this constitution shall be a Republican Constitution or a Shariat Constitution or a Democratic Constitution The real point is whether it is better to stand on the legs or on the head and we prefer-to stand on the legs. We start with the provinces and we will come to the top, but some people occasionally try acrobatic feats and it is open to them to do so. The Maulana says that the Mover has done some sort of a trick by cleverly moving this resolution I do not understand what trick I have done nor do I understand where the trick lies. The simple question is whether the draft which has been moved by me should be considered or not. He does not show by any argument that this motion should not be taken today. He suspects that there must be something in the Union Constitution'-and if he finds anything in the Union Constitution Report, when the report is taken, he will have ample time and opportunity to make any suggestions or alteration or modifications. There is nothing in this motion which gives room for suspicion or doubt and a simple motion like this should not be used for the purpose of taking any more time of this House. An Mr. Naziruddin Ahmad made it quite plan it will lead to an unnecessary waste of time of the House. The two are separate. One does not encroach upon the province of the other and therefore, they can conveniently be taken accoring to the order in which the order of the business is settled and the motion therefore before the House should be adopted without any division. Mr. President: The Motion is: "That the Constituent Assembly do proceed to take into consideration the Report on the principles of a model Provincial Constitution submitted by the Committee appointed in pursuance of the resolution of the Assembly of the 30th April 1947." To this an amendment has been moved:
The amendment was negatived. Mr. President: The amendment is lost. I will put the original proposition to vote The question is:
The motion was adopted. |