PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 235
provisions contained in article 240 of the Constitution. I think it is quite clear from the amendment of my hon. friend Dr. Parmar that he supposes that it would be possible for Parliament to create one single legislature for these two areas, namely Himachal Pradesh and Bilaspur. I submit that it would not be open to Parliament to do any such thing because article 240 says :
“Parliament may by law create or continue for any State specified in Part C of the First Schedule...” which means that if Parliament wants to create legislative bodies for the States mentioned in Part C, it shall have to create for each Part C State a separate legislative body. There is no authority given by article 240 to create a joint legislature. On that ground, this amendment is not in order.
My second submission is this. I believe my hon. friend suggested that it might be possible for Bilaspur to be merged in Himachal Pradesh, and in that event, that would constitute a single State. That possibility, I do not deny; but the consequence of that would be that we shall have to amend this Bill and make Bilaspur a merged State, which stands on a quite different footing, and would not come within the four corners of the Bill as presented to Parliament.
Therefore, my submission is that it is not possible for me to accept the amendment in view of the objections that I have stated.
Shri J. N. Hazarika (Assam) : Sir, section 27J which has now been renumbered as 27K is absolutely unnecessary, because this clause is likely to create ……………
Mr. Speaker : To which clause is the hon. Member referring?
Shri J. N. Hazarika : Section 27J. It is likely to create some delusion in the minds of the people in Part C States.
Mr. Speaker : Hon. Member may please see that section
27J has just been replaced by an amendment which has been carried by this House. Would he refer to the new section 27J as just adopted by the House?
Shri J. N. Hazarika : It has become 27K now.