690 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Much has already been said. Unless you desire me to speak, 1 would rather not say anything.
Mr. President : That is your choice.
[Article 226, as amended by Dr. Ambedkar’s amendment was adopted and added to the Constitution.]
ARTICLE 229
*The Honourable dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Sir, I move :
“That with reference to amendments Nos. 2781 and 2783 of the List of Amendments, for clause (1) of article 229, the following clause be substituted :—
‘(1) If it appears to the Legislatures of two or more States to be desirable that any of the matters with respect to which Parliament has no power to make laws for the States except as provided in article 226 and 227 of this Constitution should he regulated in such States by Parliament bylaw, and resolutions to that effect are passed by the House or. where there are two Houses, by both the Houses of the Legislature of each of the States, it shall be lawful for Parliament, to pass an Act for regulating that matter accordingly and any Act so passed shall apply to such States and to any other State by which it is adopted afterwards by resolution passed in that behalf by the House or. where there are two Houses, by each of the Houses of the Legislature of that State.’”
I would like to explain this amendment in a few brief sentences. The original article as it stood said : “If it appears to the Legislature or Legislatures of one or more States to be desirable, etc.” The new amendment said “if it appears to the Legislatures of two or more States to be desirable etc.” Under the new amendment it would be open to invoke the aid of Parliament to make a law only if two or more States join, and sent a resolution. The other changes in sub-clause (1) of article 229 are merely consequential to this principal amendment, namely, that the power can be invoked only if two or more States desire, but not by a single State.
†The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Sir, I quite appreciate the point raised by my Honourable Friend Mr. Santhanam; but 1 think he has not carefully read sub-clause (2). The important words are : ‘in like manner’, so that if the State legislatures in whose interest this legislation is passed in like manner, that is to say by resolution, agree that such legislation be amended or repealed. Parliament would be bound to do so.
The Honourable Shri K. Santhanam : “May be amended”.
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : ‘May’ means shall. There is no difficulty at all.
[Dr. Ambedkar’s amendment was adopted. Article 229 as amended, was added to the Constitution.]
*CAD, Vol. VIII, 13th June 1949, p. 811.
† Ibid., p. 512.