444 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Mr. Vice-President : There is an amendment to this amendment.
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: I have moved it as amended.
Mr. Vice-President : I see.
(Amendment No. 818 was not moved.)
Amendment No. 819 is a verbal amendment. Amendment No. 820 may be moved.
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Sir, I move.
“That for the words ‘to provide for such matters and for prescribing punishment for such acts’ the words ‘for prescribing punishment for the acts referred to in clause (b) of this article’ be substituted.”
Mr. Vice-President: Amendment Nos. 822 and 823 are of similar import. No. 822 can be moved.
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Sir, I move :
“That for the proviso and explanation to article 27, the following be substituted : ‘Provided that any law in force immediately before the commencement of this Constitution in the territory of India or any part thereof with respect to any of the matters referred to in clause (a) of this article or providing for punishment for any act referred to in clause (b) of this article, shall, subject to the terms thereof, continue in force therein, until altered or repealed or amended by Parliament.’
‘ Explanation. —In this article the expression ‘law in force’ has the same meaning as in article 307 of this Constitution’.”
(Amendment Nos. 50 of List No. 1, 65 of List No. IV and 823 were not moved.)
Mr. Vice-President : The article is now open for discussion.
(At this stage Mr. Kamath rose to speak.)
Mr. Vice-President: I hope you will permit me to get the things through before we disperse in which case, I shall adjourn the House at 1 o’clock.
Shri H. V. Kamath : I am equally anxious. Mr. Vice-President, I am here seeking only a little light from Dr. Ambedkar with regard to his amendment No. 820 moved by him. I fail to see clearly why the words in the article as it stands at present should be substituted by the words he proposes to. In case his amendment is accepted, it will mean that Parliament shall have power only for prescribing punishment for the acts referred to in clause (b). Then what about the Parliament’s power to make laws with respect to any of the matters which under this power are required to be provided for by legislation in clause (a) ? Does he intend by his amendment to take away the power which is