PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1021
Dr. Ambedkar : As I said, evidently those who have hot joined the scheme have either expressly said that they do not want to join or have merely postponed their decision—I am unable to say at this stage.
Shri Raj Bahadur: So far as the financial side is concerned, how does the expenditure which is to be incurred now compare with the expenditure which was being incurred up to now ?
Dr. Ambedkar : There is no basis for comparison because such an agency did not exit before.
Shri Raj Bahadur: Why I know whether the opinion of local solicitors and agents was taken or not?
Dr. Ambedkar : There is no necessity. We took the opinion of the Governments.
(19)
*MUSLIM PERSONAL LAWS
561. Dr. M. M. Das : (a) Will the Minister of Law be pleased to state the States of the Indian Union where the Muslim Personal Laws (Shariat) Application Act of 1937 is not in force ?
(b) Is it a fact that Muslims of the Indian Union are governed by the same Personal Laws viz., the Shariat?
(c) Did Government receive any representation from the Muslims of Coach-Behar or ascertain their opinion before the Government of West Bengal replaced their existing Personal Laws by Shariat ?
The Minister of Law (Dr. Ambedkar): (a) and (b). The Muslims Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act of 1937 is not in force in Part B States and in the merged territory of Cooch-Behar in West Bengal. It is in force in the rest of India. So far as Cooch-Behar is concerned, provision has been made in clause 3 of the Cooch-Behar (Assimilation of Laws) Bill which is pending before this House, for bringing the Act of 1937 into force in that area. The position in Part B States appears to be that Muslims are in the main governed by
- P. D., Vol. 6, Part I, 1st December 1950, p. 536.