DRAFT CONSTITUTION 841
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : If any point is raised in the course of the debate, I will explain it in the course of my reply.
Mr. Naziruddin Ahmad : I do not know whether to oppose or not to oppose.
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : You must have read both drafts. The only thing you might not have read are the commas and semicolons.
Mr. President : I will now take up the amendments.
*The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Mr. President, Sir, there are just a few points on which I would like to say a word or two in reply to the criticism made on the articles which I have submitted to the House.
The first criticism is with regard to the composition of the Public Service Commission. The reservation made there that at least one-half of the members of the Public Service Commission should have been servants of the Crown has been objected to on the ground that this is really a paradise prepared for the I.C.S. people. I am sorry to say that those who have made this criticism do not seem to have understood the purpose, the significance and the functions of the Public Service Commission. The function of the Public Service Commission is to choose people who are fit for Public Service. The judgment required to come to a conclusion on the question of fitness presupposes a certain amount of experience on the part of the person who is asked to judge. Obviously nobody can be a better judge in this matter than a person who has already been in the service of the Crown. The reason therefore why a certain proportion is reserved to persons in service is not because there is any desire to oblige persons who are already in the service of the Crown but the desire is to secure persons with the necessary experience who would be able to perform their duties in the best manner posible. However, I am prepared to accept an amendment if my Friend Mr. Kapoor is prepared for it. I am prepared to say—
“Provided that as nearly as may be one-half” instead of saying
“Provided that at least one-half”
Shri H. V. Kamath : Why not say “not more than one-half”?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : No, I have done my best.
With regard to the second question, that persons who have been in the Public Service Commission should be permitted to accept an honorary office under the State, personally I am not now inclined to accept that suggestion. Our whole object is to make the members of the Public Service Commission independent of the executive. One way of making
*CAD, Vol. IX, 22nd August 1949, pp. 592-593.