DRAFT CONSTITUTION 455
Our proposals in the Draft Constitution, in my judgment, are sufficient for the necessities of the case. We have provided that he shall be elected by the elected members of the Legislature of the States, who themselves are elected on adult suffrage. He is also to be elected by both Houses of Parliament. The Lower House of the Parliament is also elected directly by the people on adult suffrage. The Upper Chamber is elected by the Lower Houses of the States Legislatures, which are also elected on adult suffrage. Therefore, having regard to these provisions, I think Prof. K. T. Shah’s amendment is quite out of place. I, therefore, oppose that amendment.
Mr. Vice-President : I shall now put the amendments to vote, one by one....
In all 5 amendments were negatived.
Following amendments were adopted :—
“That in clause (a) of article 43, for the words ‘the members’ the words ‘ the elected members ‘ be substituted.”
Amendment No. 1070 standing in the name of Dr. Ambedkar.
“That to article 43, the following explanation be added :— “Explanation.—In this and the next succeeding article, the expression “the Legislature of a State” means, where the Legislature is bi-cameral, the Lower House of he Legislature.”
Article 43, as amended, was adopted and added to the Constitution.
ARTICLE 15
- Mr. Vice-President : With the permission of the House, I should like to revert to an article left over: that is article 15. I have before me the proceedings of the House from which it appears—this was considered on the 6th December last—that general discussion had concluded and I had called upon Dr. Ambedkar to reply. At that time it was suggested that efforts should be made to arrive at some kind of understanding so that those who had submitted certain amendments might feel satisfied. I do not know the position now ; but we cannot wait any longer. Dr. Ambedkar, will you please make the position clear ? If no understanding has been arrived at, I would ask you to reply.
*CAD, Vol. VII, 13th December 1948. pp. 999-101.