1104 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (Bombay : General) : Sir, I move :
“That with reference to amendment No. 3163 of the List of amendments for article 296 the following article be substituted:—
‘296. The claims of the members of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes shall be taken into consideration consistently Claims of Scheduled with the maintenance of efficiency of administration, Castes and Scheduled in the making of appointments to services and Tribes to services posts in connection with the affairs of the Union and posts or of a State.’ ”
- Mr. President : ... The next amendment which purpoorts to substitute is No.23, which stands in the name of Dr. Ambedkar.
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I do not propose to move it.
Mr. President : Then No. 24.
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Not being moved.
[The amendment of Dr. Ambedkar mentioned above was adopted Article
296, as amended, was added to the Constitution.]
ARTICLE 299
† Sardar Hukam Singh : My question has not been answered. Have these four Sikh Classes been included in the Scheduled Castes.
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Of course, they will be.
Shri K. M. Munshi : The President is empowered to issue, under article 300-A, a list of Scheduled Castes. In that, these Scheduled Castes will find a place.
Sardar Hukam Singh : Where is the guarantee that the President will include these people in that list ? We have given up all safeguards to secure this in the Constitution. That has not been done.
Shri K. M. Munshi : The President has that power. The President is sure to keep to the pledge which has been given. This decision finds a place in the Advisory Committee’s Report that the Sikh Scheduled Castes will form part of the Scheduled Castes and provided with the safeguards under article 296 which we have already passed. There is no question of going back upon that pledge, you may take it from me. I repeat the Sikh Scheduled Castes will be included in the list of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Punjab.
[Article 299, as amended, was added to the Constitution.]
*CAD, Vol. X, 14th October 1949, pp. 236-237.
† Ibid., p. 262.