PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1027
Dr. Ambedkar : I feel that my hon. Friend knows more than I do.
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*SHORT NOTICE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ELECTORAL ROLLS FOR RURAL AREAS IN DELHI
Shri J. R. Kamble: Will the Minister of Law be pleased to state :—
(a) Whether the attention of Government has been drawn to the news appearing in the Evening News of the Hindustan Times dated the 20th March 1951 and in the Indian News Chronicle dated the 21st March 1951 that the Chief Commissioner of Delhi has ordered that the electoral rolls for the rural areas of Delhi State for the next general elections will be published only in Urdu ;
(b) Whether the above news item is a correct statement of fact, and if so, what are the reasons for the aforesaid rolls not being published in Hindi which is the official language of the Union ; and
(c) What is the policy of the Government with regard to the language of the electoral rolls for the next general elections in Part ‘C’ States ?
The Minister of Law (Dr. Ambedkar): (a) and (b) The two news items referred to in the question relate to elections to the District Board of Delhi and have nothing to do with the general elections to Parliament. The electoral rolls for Delhi for the ensuing general elections to the House of the People have in fact been published in three languages, viz. English, Hindi and Urdu.
(c) Under Rule 6 of the Representation of the People (Preparation of Electoral Rolls) Rules, 1950, the language in. which the electoral rolls in respect of State are to be prepared is to be decided by the Election Commission. Generally, the rolls have been prepared throughout the country in the regional languages only, but in certain bi-lingual areas in some of the States the Commission has directed the preparation of the rolls in an additional language also.
*P. D., Vol. 7, Part I, 2nd April 1950, p. 2788.