270 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
enmity, or personal hostility to a prince, and they may, without any bona fide reason drag him to a court and harass him. The object of requiring the consent of the Government of India is not that there shall be vested in the Government of India an absolute power to protect the prince from any kind of litigation in which the opponent may have a substantial ground for proceeding against him, but to see that the claim that is made against him is of a bona fide character. Beyond that there is no purpose in requiring this consent.
With regard to sub-clause ( 3 ) it gives him freedom from arrest and execution of decree against his property except with the consent of the central Government. As I said, these are merely, what I might say, fulfilment of certain undertakings that we have given in order to maintain the dignity of the Indian Rulers. Beyond that there is nothing.
I might also draw the attention of the House to the definition of the word “Ruler” which is given in section 87B
(2) ( b ) , I think that definition is important. It is not that every Ruler of a former Indian State will get the benefit of the provisions contained in section 87B. The definition is of a restricted sort, namely, that the Ruler must be recognized by the President as one entitled to these privileges. If a prince were to behave in such a manner that the President thinks that he ought not to be recognized, it would be perfectly possible for the President to delete his name from any notification, so that he would be reduced to the status of an ordinary citizen and be liable to the ordinary process to which every citizen will be liable in this country under the Civil Procedure Code.
The other clauses are just to clear any ambiguity, difficulty and so on. The most important clause is clause 12 and think I have given the House sufficient explanation as to the fundamental basis of the amendments which have been introduced by this Bill.
Mr. Speaker : Motion moved.
“That the Bill further to amend the Code of Civil Procedure,
1908, be taken into consideration.”