1062 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Dr. Ambedkar: There is no question of literacy or illiteracy. There was no question of marking in that.
Shri Sidhva: Even then what was the general impression of the Commissioner regarding the mock election ? Does he feel……..
Dr. Ambedkar: I am afraid he has not given me the impression he has formed,
Seth Govind Das : The Hon. Minister has just stated that so far a report from Orissa only has been received and that reports from other Provinces have not been received yet. Have the Government fixed any date by which these mock elections should be held in the States and reports submitted to the Government of India ?
Dr. Ambedkar: I don’t think this is a matter in which the Government could assume or arrogate to itself the authority of issuing a directive.
Seth Govind Das: No, Sir, it is not a question of authority
Shri Bhatt: Will the Hon. Minister please tell whether the mock elections that were held were for the State Legislative Assemblies and the House of the People both together ?
Dr. Ambedkar: I believe so.
Shri Chattopadhyaya: Was any such mock election held in any of the Centrally Administered Areas and, if so, why has no report been received?
Dr. Ambedkar: I have really no information as to in what States and whether in Centrally Administered Areas they were held, but I am sure they must have been.
Shri Kamath : Did these mock elections include mock candidates and mock officers also ?
Dr. Ambedkar: I suppose they had scare-crows.
Shri R. Velayudhan: From the impression gained from this rehearsal of mock election, will the next general election also be a mock election ?
Dr. Ambedkar: Very likely.
Shri Sidhva: May I know the total number of voters who participated in this mock election?