DRAFT CONSTITUTION 1119
of what is called the National Recovery Act of the United States passed in the year 1930 or thereabouts, which give the power to the President to make similar provisions in order to remove the difficulties, both economic and financial, that had overtaken the American people as a result of the great depression from which they were suffering. The reason why, for instance, we have thought it necessary to include such a provision in the Constitution is because we know that under the American Constitution within a very short time the legislation passed by the President was challenged in the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court declared the whole of the legislation to be unconstitutional, with the result that after that declaration of the Supreme Court, the President can hardly do anything which he wanted to do under the provisions of the National Recovery Act. A similar fate perhaps might overwhelm our President if he were to grapple with a similar financial and economic emergency. In order to prevent any such difficulty we thought it was much better to make an express provision in the Constitution itself and that is the reason why this article has been brought forth.
- Mr. President : Have you anything to say ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : If you think it is necessary, I will speak.
Mr. President : No, no. I do not say so. Then I will put the amendment to the vote.
Shri H. V. Kamath : I suggest that Dr. Ambedkar might consider the change of the wording from “threatened” to “gravely threatened.”
Mr. President : You did make your suggestion. He will consider whether it is worth considering. I do not think I should allow you to make a second speech in the form of a suggestion to Dr. Ambedkar.
Srijut Rohini Kumar Chaudhuri (Assam : General) : I wanted to make my only speech.
Mr. President : But I have already closed the debate.
[All 8 amendments were negatived. Original amendment of Dr. Ambedkar was adopted, Article 280A was added to the Constitution.]
†Shri B. Das : I wish Dr. Ambedkar should make it clear whether the tribunal in the territory of India applies to the Income-tax tribunal or the different Railway tribunals that we have. If the power is extended, then the Income-tax tribunal must be dissolved at once. We have got the Income-tax tribunal which is the final authority.
*CAD, Vol. X, 16th October 1949, pp. 372.
† Ibid., p. 378-80.