626 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
ARTICLE 151
- Mr. President : 2308.—Dr. Ambedkar.
The Honourable Dr. H. R. Ambedkar : Sir I move :
“Thai in clause (2) of article 151, for the words ‘third year’ the words ‘second year’ he substituted.”
†The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : The article has been passed that the Second Chamber shall be there. This article deals only with how the Members will re-elect themselves.
Prof. Shibban Lal Saksena : We have to decide whether a particular Council should live for nine years or six years, and that will depend upon the composition of the Council. The composition will determine the period al the end of which one-third of the members should retire.
Mr. President : That does not depend on the composition of the Council. Whatever may be the life of the House, the composition will be according lo the decision we may take on article 150.
Prof. Shibban Lal Saksena : Well Sir, I bow to your ruling....
Then it has been said that one-third of the Council will retire every third year. I am glad Dr. Ambedkar has now proposed that the period will now be two years instead of three. That will make the life of the Council only six years which is almost equal to the life of the Assembly. It also ensures greater freshness to the Council. I therefore, support the amendment of Dr. Ambedkar.
Mr. President : Dr. Ambedkar, do you wish to say anything ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I accept Mr. Gupte’s amendment.
Mr. President : Now I shall put Mr. Gupte’s amendment which has been accepted by Dr. Ambedkar, to vole. It becomes the original amendment.
The question is :
“That with reference to amendment No. 2304 of the List of Amendment, after clause (1) of article 151, the following proviso be inserted :
‘Provided that the said period may. while a Proclamation of Emergency is in operation, he extended by Parliament by law for a period not exceeding one year at a time and not extending in any case beyond a period of six months after the Proclamation has ceased to operate.’ ”
The amendment was adopted.
Mr. President : Mr. Brajeshwar Prasad’s amendment.
The amendment was, by leave of the Assembly, withdrawn.
*CAD, Vol. VIII, 2nd June 1948, p. 548
† Ibid ., pp. 549-50.