PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 205
(24)
** REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE (AMENDMENT) BILL
*The Minister of Law (Dr. Ambedkar) : I beg to move for leave to introduce a Bill to amend the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
Mr. Speaker : The question is :
“ That leave be granted to introduce a Bill to amend the Representation of the People Act, 1950. ”
The motion was adopted.
- The Minister of Law (Dr. Ambedkar) : I beg to move :
“ That the Bill to amend the Representation of the People Act, 1950, be taken into consideration.”
This bill has two objectives. One is to provide for the representation of Part C States in the Council of States. The second is to enact the provisions made by the Representation of the People (Amendment) Ordinance, 1950. I propose, first to deal with the first objective of the Bill, namely, to provide for the representation of Part C States, hon. Members will remember that under article 80, clause (5) this matter is left to be dealt with and determined by Parliament by law. There is no provision in the Constitution itself as to how Part C States should be represented in the Upper Chamber. As I said the matter is left to the discretion of Parliament to deal with it by such law as Parliament may deem fit. It is because of this obligation which has been cast upon Parliament that the present Bill has been brought forth. In dealing with this particular matter, it is obvious that three questions have to be dealt with. The first is the nature of the electorate. What
- P. D., Vol. 6, Part II, 20th November 1950, p. 267.
** P. D., Vol. 7, Part II, 12th December 1950, pp. 1678-83.