376 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
do limit the ryotwari tenure, how far would it be proper to add those to the Schedule and how far does it cover the intention of Government not to bring in the ambit of this amending Act the ryotwari tenure or to limit their extent ?
Dr. Ambedkar: I know something of these Acts, coming from Bombay as I do and having practised in the High Court. Having had to deal with many cases, I have no doubt about it that the Khoti Abolition and other Acts to which my hon. friend has referred deal only with what we call intermediaries.
Shri Jawaharlal Nehru : My colleague the Law Minister has dealt with many of the points that heve been raised, …………
- The Minister of Law (Dr. Ambedkar): On listening to the debate I believe the House desires that the powers of adaptation vested in the President should continue and that it is a very useful instrument which has been forged by the Constitution for the purpose of bringing the laws already passed into conformity with the provisions of the Constitution. On that, I do not see any kind of difference of opinion. The only question that has been raised is this : why is it that the President has not been able to make modifications in the laws that appear to be inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution during the period that has elapsed between now and the passing of the Constitution and why is it that further time is necessary. That seems to be the only point which requires clarification.
It has been stated that the Law Department has been very lax. Some friends have said that it has gone to sleep.
Babu Ramnarayan Singh (Bihar) : That is right.
Shri Hussain Imam (Bihar) : Dozing.
Dr. Ambedkar: I do not know whether such statements are mere matters of imagination or whether there is any
- P.D., Vol 12, Part II, 2nd June 1951, pp. 10007-13.