766 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Dr. P. S. Deshmukh ( C. P. and Berar : General) : On a point of order, Sir. We have all heard the excellent suggestion made by the hon. the Prime Minister and there is no doubt that the House is likely to accept it. My point of order is that the question before the House is a motion for consideration. The suggestion now made really means referring the Bill back to the Select Committee.
Some Honourable Members : No, no.
Dr. P. S. Deshmukh : I put it to you, Sir, that this is circumventing the parliamentary procedure. The only procedure rightful and just, would be to commit the Bill to the Select Committee, either the same or an expanded committee. The suggestion made is against parliamentary procedure and should not be accepted. If the suggestion is acceptable to the House, I have not the slightest objection, but the regular procedure is to commit the Bill to the same Select Committee or a Select Committee, which may be enlarged.
Mr. Speaker : I see the force of the Hon. Member’s objection from the procedural point of view, but what the hon. the Leader of the House has done is not to place any motion for further consideration before the House. He has merely explained his position. He has stated how the Government is going to act and how it will proceed with the consideration of the clauses of the Bill? There is no reference there for further reference to any formal Committee of this House. If such a motion were to be made, then of course I would have been glad to accept that point of order. At present there is no such motion before the House, and I think it is not against parliamentary procedure. On the contrary, even if it is a little different from the ordinary procedue, as, in my opinion democracy means a spirit of accommodation and give and take, we must evolve a new procedure. I will now put the motion to the House.
The question is
“That the question be now put.”
The motion was negatived.
*** The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar** ( Minister of Law) : Sir, there are before the House in all three motions. Two of them are sponsored by Mr. Naziruddin Ahmad. One of them proposes a reference of the Bill to the Select Committee for further consideration. The second motion proposes that the Bill be circulated for eliciting further public opinion. In addition to them there is my motion before the House
- C.A. (Leg.) D., Vol. VII, Part II, 19th December 1949, pp. 787-92.