DR. AMBEDKAR AND THE HINDU CODE BILL 1123
was in force in this country at that time, agricultural property was not a subject on which the Central legislature legislated. As a result, 90 per cent, or probably even more of the landed property in this country did not come under its jurisdiction.
[M R . D EPUTY S PEAKER in the Chair ]
Now, agricultural property has also been put in the Concurrent List and this legislation, if passed, will apply to landed property also all over the country, The scope of this Bill, therefore, has been expanded almost 900 times over. As it stood before, it would have concerned only a very small fraction of the property in the nation.
Mr. Deputy Speaker : That is no longer the subject matter of this Bill, unless the hon. Member thinks that as a consequence of the marriage, the children will be entitled to that also.
Pandit Malaviya : I am at present talking of the application of the Bill and its import. I was pointing out......
Mr. Deputy Speaker : The hon. Member evidently was not here. We have said that this Bill is confined to marriage and Divorce. Property, inheritance, succession are not gone into now, unless indirectly the hon. Member says that the consequence of marriage will be some offspring and they may be entitled to some landed property.
Pandit Malaviya : Sir, I have the same difficulty which I had once before. So many speakers are about that I could not hear you !
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The property chapter and other parts are now excluded from the scope of the Bill. We confine ourselves to marriage and divorce alone. Therefore, the hon. Member need not dilate upon that matter now.
Pandit Malaviya: What I was submitting was not with regard to the nature of the provisions in respect of property. What I was submitting and another point which I had tried to make out before you came back was with regard to some of the vary objectionable features and circumstances relating to the situation in which this Bill, is now being put before this House. And I was, therefore, pointing out that a very grave and fundamental change in the circumstances has occurred, namely, that when the Bill was first framed. It did not have any applicability to
90 per cent, of the extent of this land. But it will now have, on account of the adoption in the Constitution of a Concurrent List on which agricultural lands and property have been placed......