500 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Mr. Vice-President: I shall now put article 59 to vote. The question is :
“That article 59 stand part of the Constitution.”
Article 59 was adopted and added to the Constitution.
ARTICLE 60
*The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (Bombay : General) : Mr. Vice-President, Sir, I am sorry that I cannot accept either of the two amendments which have been moved to this proviso, but I shall state to the House very briefly the reasons why I am not in a position to accept these amendments. Before I do so, I think it is desirable that the House should know what exactly is the difference between the position as stated in the proviso and the two amendments which are moved to that proviso. Taking the proviso as it stands it lays down two propositions. The first proposition is that generally the authority to excute laws which relate to what is called the Concurrent field, whether the law is passed by the Central Legislature or whether it is passed by the Provincial or State Legislature, shall ordinarily apply to the Province or the State. That is the first proposition which this proviso lays down. The second proposition which the proviso lays down is that if in any particular case Parliament thinks that in passing a law which relates to the Concurrent field, the execution ought to be retained by the Central Government, Parliament shall have the power to do so. Therefore, the position is this ; that in all cases, ordinarily, the executive authority so far as the Concurrent List is concerned will rest with the units, the Provinces as well as the States. It is only in exceptional cases that the Centre may prescribe that the execution of a Concurrent law shall be with the Centre. The amendments which have been moved are different in their connotation. The first amendment is that the Centre should have nothing to do with regard lo the administration of a law which relates to matters placed in the Concurrent field. The second amendment which has been moved by my Honourable Friend, Pandit Kunzru, although it does not permit the Centre to take upon itself the execution of a law passed in the Concurrent field, is prepared to permit the Centre issue directions, with regard to matters falling within Items
*CAD, Vol. VII, 30th December 1948, pp. 1136-40.