PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 427
(34)
* REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE (AMENDMENT) BILL
- The Minister of Law (Dr. Ambedkar): I beg to move:
“That the Bill further to amend the Representation of the People Act, 1950, be taken into consideration.”
This is a very short Bill and it seeks to amend the Representation of the People Act, 1950 which was passed by this House some time ago. The object of the Bill is to provide for the representation in the House of the People for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in Part C States. As the House will remember under Articles 313 and
332, there is provision made by the Constitution itself for the representation of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in Part A and Part B states. So far as Part C States are concerned, the matter has been left to Parliament and to the President. Article 82 of the Constitution says that so far as the representation of the people in Part C States is concerned, it shall be dealt with by Parliament and so far as the administration of Part C States is concerned, that is a matter which is left to be dealt with by Article 239. When the People’s Representation Bill was before the House, it should have, as a matter of propriety also contained the provisions which are now included in this present Bill. But unfortunately, Government at that time had not got sufficient information as to the number of seats that were going to be allotted to Part C States in the House of the People, nor were they in possession of the tribes and the castes which were to be included in the provisions relating to Part C States. Consequently, these provisions had to be held back and they are now brought forth before this House.
- P. D., Vol. 10., Part II, 18th April 1951, pp. 7021-39.