570 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I find I can accept No.
87 in the consolidated list of amendments. It serves my purpose, and therefore I accept it.
[Article 80 as amended was added to the Constitution.]
ARTICLE 81
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Sir, I move :
“ That in article 81 for the words ‘a declaration’, the words ‘an affirmation or oath’ be substituted.”
Shri H. V. Kamath : Mr. President, Sir, I have come here just to seek a little clarification from my honourable Friend, Dr. Ambedkar, in regard to his amendment No. 1554 which he has just now moved and which seeks to substitute for the words “ a declaration ”, the words “ an affirmation or oath ”. May I, Sir, invite your attention to the fact that the House has already adopted article 49 which provides for an affirmation or oath by the President or person acting as or discharging the functions of the President before entering office. The affirmation or oath provided therein was amended to the effect that the President or person acting as or discharging the functions of the President, should, before he enters upon his office take the oath or affirmation in the following form :—
“ I, A, B, in the name of God, do swear ”, or “ I, A, B, do solemnly affirm”……..
May I have an assurance from my honourable Friend Dr. Ambedkar as well as from the House that the affirmation or oath referred to in article 81 will be on the same lines as provided for in the amended article 49 of the Constitution ?
Mr. President : I take it that it is obvious that the Schedule will have to be amended so as to fit in with the wordings of this clause....
The Hononurable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Sir, I am sorry to say that I cannot accept the amendment moved by my friend Professor Shah. I think Prof. Shah has really misunderstood the sequence of events, if I may say so, in the life of a candidate who has been elected until the time that he becomes a member of the House. If Prof. Shah were to refer to article 81 and also note the heading “Disqualifications of
- CAD, Vol. VIII, 19th May 1949, pp. 130-32.