DRAFT CONSTITUTION 817
in the Governor-General who is his successor and to give him additional power to alter the composition, because the pattern of the numbers in the different provinces have changed from the 15th August 1947.I quite realise that there has been an error in the Statement of Objects and Reasons where unfortunately a particular reference has been made to West Bengal. I should like to assert that this clause has been intended as a general provision which may be used by the GovernorGeneral for rectifying any of the matters with regard to any province, not particularly West Bengal; and I think that was against somehow a slip which ought not to have taken place. Members of the House have picked up that particular wording of that particular clause where a pointed reference has been made to West Bengal in order to charge the Government with malafide, with having some kind of a bad motive towards the legislature in West Bengal. As I said, it is nothing of the kind. These clauses are general; they may be used if a situation arises : which calls far their use in West Bengal. They may be used for my province of Bombay where probably today, at any rate, no such circumstance appears. Therefore from that unfortunate statement—if I may say so—no conclusion ought to be drawn that there is any kind of underhand dealing so far as this clause is concerned.
Shri Suresh Chandra Majumdar (West Bengal : General) : Is it not possible to drop the words “West Bengal” ?
The Honurable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I have been telling my honourable Friends that the Statement of Objects and Reasons is not a part of the Act and therefore there can be no amendment moved to the deletion of any word or clause or sentence in the Statement of Objects and Reasons. As soon as this Bill becomes an Act, that Statement of Objects and Reasons will be thrown into the dustbin. It is different from a Preamble and I want Members of the House to concentrate on the Preamble where there is no such reference to West Bengal. Therefore my submission is that there is really nothing to quarrel with in this particular clause. In the first place it restores the original provision as it existed in the Government of India Act,
1935, in its unadapted condition, and secondly it proposes to give power which it has become necessary to give because of the altered position in the provinces.
An Honourable Member : Sir, I move that the question be now put.
Shri H. V. Kamath : Sir, on a point of order, Dr. Ambedkar has raised fresh points which we wish to discuss and under rule 33 of our Rules you may hold that there has not been sufficient debate, and so refuse to accept this motion for closure.