DRAFT CONSTITUTION 1117
this amendment notwithstanding the obvious desire of Dr. Ambedkar to
rush the amendment through the House.
Mr. President : I would suggest that we go in the order in which it
is on the agenda and take up article 274-DD.
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I am prepared to do that,
Sir, but I must say that we are so much pressed for time that I do not
think that these technicalities ought to be given more importance than
they deserve.
Pandit Hirday Nath Kunzru : It is a pity that the Chairman of the
Drafting Committee, who, by virtue of his position may be supposed to
appreciate the rights of others, makes light of them.
ARTICLE 274-DD.
*The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Sir, I move :
“That with reference to amendment No. 400 of List XVII (Second Week),
after article 274D, the following article be inserted :—
‘274DD. Notwithstanding anything contained in the foregoing provisions
of this Part or in any other provisions of
this Constitution, any State which before the Power of certain commencement of institution was levying any States in Part III of tax or duty on the import of goods into the State the First Schedule in impose restrictions on from other States or on the export of goods from trade and commerce the State to other States may, if an agreement by the levy of certain in that behalf has been entered into between the taxes and duties on Government of India and Government of that the import of goods State, continue to levy and collect such tax of into or the export duty subject to the terms of such agreement and of goods from such States. for such period not exceeding ten years from the commencement of this Constitution as may be
specified in the agreement :
Provided that the President may at any time after the expiration of five
years from such commencement terminate or modify any such agreement
if, after consideration of the report of the Finance Commission constituted
under article 260 of this Constitution, he thinks it necessary to do so.’ ”
Sir, this new article is a mere consequential amendment to article
258, which the House has already accepted, whereby the power is given
to the Government of India to enter into agreement with States in Part
III for the purposes of making certain financial adjustments during a
temporary period.
[Article 274DD was adopted and added to the constitution.]
*CAD, Vol. X, 16th October 1949, p. 342.
† Ibid.,