1030 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Dr. Ambedkar : Sir I don’t think this is a matter which could be dealt with in the course of questions and answers. This would probably requisite a debate on the various modes and methods that could be adopted to carry out the purpose of article 372, in conformity with article 13(1).
Pandit M. B. Bhargava: Sir, may I know why one particular Act has been selected out of the ocean of laws and on what particular criterion has this law been selected ?
Dr. Ambedkar : I am not in agreement with the hon. Member when he says there are an ocean of laws which are inconsistent with the Constitution, although I agree there may be some. My hon. Friend will remember that this is a very difficult matter and Government must come to a definite conclusion on the issue whether a law is really inconsistent and whether it should be retained. This one law was examined with great care both in the Law Ministry and by the Attorney General and also the Legal Remembrancer of the Punjab Government and then the conclusion was arrived that this could not be retained in view of the fundamental rights and the Government have no kind of doubt in the matter that the matter could be dealt with by adaptation.
(26)
*ELECTORAL ROLLS
2824. Shri Sonavane : (a) Will the Minister of Law be pleased to state whether it is a fact that electoral rolls are printed in Hindi in Bombay State ?
(b) Is it a fact that the Centre has directed the Bombay State to print the electoral rolls in English in addition to the already printed Hindi rolls ?
(c) If so, why was such a direction given, what is the extra cost of printing and who is going to bear it ?
The Minister of Law (Dr. Ambedkar): (a) The electoral rolls in the State of Bombay have been printed in the regional languages of the districts concerned, viz., in Gujarati, Marathi and Kannada. In the case of bilingual districts of Belgaum
- P. D., Vol. 7, Part I, 7th April 1951, p. 2957.