PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 223
is a very large element of nomination there and I do not suppose that my hon. Friend, Shri Deshbandhu Gupta, will insist that the persons who are nominated to the Delhi Municipality although they have not been elected by adult suffrage are from the point of view of intelligence, from the point of civic sense going to be in any way inferior to persons elected, by other municipalities. I would therefore suggest that I should be quite prepared to accept his amendment provided he agrees to delete the word ‘elected’ from his clause.
The second thing that I would suggest to him, which I think is a mere matter of drafting aesthetics, is that it would be better if his proposition was to be put in as sub-clause
(5) of section 27A rather than as a proviso. I have gone through the whole thing. It seems to me that it would be much neater to put this as sub-clause (5). Subject to this, I have no objection to accept it.
Shri Deshbandhu Gupta : May I point out, Sir, that I want to have one clarification from the Hon. Minister, when he says that I should agree to delete the word ‘ elected ’, does he realise that there is a big element of nomination in other local bodies also? If the idea is only to have representation for New Delhi, which is a wholly nominated body, then, the purpose would be better served by having non-official members of the New Delhi Municipal Committee. There are
7 or 8 members. In Old Delhi, there are 50 elected and 10 nominated members. In Shahdara there are 10 elected and 5 nominated members. Does he want that all these nominated Members also should be given the right to vote ?
Dr. Ambedkar : I do not see any reason to make any discrimination.
Shri Deshbandhu Gupta : I stick to the word ‘elected’. But I am prepared to include non-official members of the New Delhi Municipality.
Dr. Ambedkar : All right.