PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1007
Shri A. P. Jain : As the final list.
Dr. Ambedkar : It is very difficult really to give any precise date, but we hope that it will be ready sometime in January next or February.
Seth Govind Das : By what time is the election budget expected to be ready ? Will it be placed before the Parliament ?
Dr. Ambedkar : I could not follow.
Mr. Speaker : Whether it would be possible to have the estimate of the election expenditure prepared by the time the next Budget is presented and whether that estimate will be placed before Parliament.
Dr. Ambedkar : It will be part of the Appropriation Act.
Seth Govind Das : By what time is it expected to be ready ?
Mr. Speaker : Order, order.
Prof. Ranga: Are Government placing before themselves as well as the State Governments any target date by which these lists should be prepared, scrutinised and finalised ?
Dr. Ambedkar : Yes.
Prof. Ranga : What is that date ?
Dr. Ambedkar : I am not informed about it, but as I said we hope that the final electoral rolls will be ready somewhere about the early part of next year.
Shrimati Durgabai : May I know whether matters connected with the elections such as those of delimitation of constituencies and the question of bilingual areas also would fall within the scope of this Election Commissioner’s work ?
Dr. Ambedkar : Bilingual areas ?
Shrimati Durgabai : Delimitation of constituencies ?
Dr. Ambedkar : Certainly, they will be dealt with. But I may say that I am proposing to introduce a Bill in this Session to be called the “Representation of the People Bill”, which will make provision for the exercise of the powers which are vested in the Election Commissioner, so that he can proceed with the matter.