262 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
for us with safety to curtail the period for us with safety to curtail the period provided in this Bill.
Shri Kamath : I take it that the Hon. Minister has no figures with him.
Dr. Ambedkar : No figures.
Mr. Speaker : If the registers are incomplete, how can he give the correct figures ?
Mr. Ambedkar : There is no register and who knows who is a dentist and who not.
The motion of Shri Kamath was negatived,
Shri Sidhva : I beg to move :
Renumber clause 3 as sub-clause (1) of clause 3 and add the following new sub-clause (2) :
“(2) In sub-section ( 1 ) of section 49 of the said Act, after the words ‘three years’ the words ‘ from the commencement of this Act or on the completion of formalities under section 32, whichever is earlier,’ shall be inserted.”
Dr. Ambedkar : As my friend Mr. Sidhva has said, this amendment affects an important principle which underlies the provisions of this clause, namely that the registers should be operative on the same date throughout India. This is not a mere matter of academic interest …..
Shri Sidhva : Is it laid down in the Act ?
Dr. Ambedkar : That is why we have said three or two years throughout. Otherwise we would have prescribed different dates for different States. It is necessary and desirable to preserve the principle of uniformity. The House will see that it affects eligibility for holding posts. It cannot be said that a person is eligible for holding a post in a particular State and not eligible in another State, simply because the State has not been in a position to prepare the register. Therefore I think as it is desirable to preserve the principle I cannot accept the amendment of Mr. Sidhva. After all, the difference is only a matter of six months.
Shri Sidhva : I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.