16 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
PLENARY CONFERENCE
We propose to constitute two bodies :—
(1) a Plenary Conference, and (2) a Standing Advisory Committee.
The Plenary Conference will be composed of representatives of the Central Government, of Provinces, of States, of employers and of employees. In general, each Province or large State will be entitled to be represented, and those States not individually represented would be represented by a nominee of the Chamber of Princes. Representation would also be given to the main associations of employers and employees, and it would also be open to Government to nominate representatives of classes of employers or employees who in their opinion were not otherwise adequately represented. It would not in the case of the Plenary Conference be possible to ensure that the representation of employers and employees should be equal to that of Government representatives.
STANDING ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The constitution of the Standing Advisory Committee would be more rigid, and as you will sec from the text of the resolution that will be placed before you that we propose to distribute the representation as follows :—(1) representatives of the Government of India, (2) representatives of Provinces, (3) representatives of States, (4) representatives of employers and (5) representatives of employees, with the Labour member of the Central Government as Chairman.
In suggesting this constitution for the Standing Advisory Committee we have followed as closely as we can the principles underlying the constitution of the Governing Body of the International Labour Office which was set up under the auspices of the League of Nations. There are three principles which to my mind underlie that constitution. First, equality of representation between Government and Non-Government representatives. This is illustrated by the provision contained in article 7, Clause 1, whereby out of 32 representatives 16 represent Governments and 16 represent employers and workers. We have given effect to this principle by giving 10 seats to Government and 10 seats to Industry.
The second principle is equality of representation as between employers and employees. This is provided by the same Article