1200 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
desires of the provinces. Therefore it seems to me that such a provision is necessary.
A certain amount of fear has been expressed that some provinces might suggest to the Governor-General names which may not be possible in the opinion of the other provinces, and consequently names which have been rejectd by this House or disapproved by this House may be given to the new provinces without the knowledge of this Constituent Assembly or without the consent of the provincial legislatures concerned. It seems to me that that sort of suggestion is reading too much into section 290 as amended by this Bill because under section 290 the Governor-General has absolute discretion in this matter and is not bound to act upon the suggestion made either by the Provincial Government or, if I accept the amendment of Mr. Pataskar, the opinion of the legislature. He is free to act and the only authority who is to advise him to act is the Cabinet at the Centre. All that is required under section 290 is to ascertain the views of the Government of the Province. That does not mean that the Governor-General is bound to accept any name that has been suggested. I am quite certain in my own mind that the discussion that has taken place in this House, the opinions expressed by this House on the suggestion made by Professor Saksena in regard to the name of the United Provinces will be taken into consideration by the Central Executive and by the Governor-General before he decides to take any action under the proposed amendment to article 290.
Mr. President : I will now put the amendments to the vote. Mr. Naziruddin Ahmad, do you want your amendment to be put to the vote? It is only a matter of punctuation?
Mr. Naziruddin Ahmad : It may be left to the Drafting committee.
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : It is a worng amendment.
[Clause 3, Preamble and the title were adopted and added to the Bill.]
- The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Sir, I move :
“That the Bill further to amend the Government of India Act, 1935, as settled by the Assembly, be passed.”
The motion was adopted.
*CAD, Official Report, Vol. X, 25th November 1949, p. 937.