544 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Dr. Ambedkar : I should have thought that that was quite outside the scope of this Bill. That matter will be debated when the President’s Order will be placed before the House.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I do not think it is the hon. Member’s desire to go into the details of the delimitation question. The President’s Order is yet to issue and will be placed before the House, when it can be discussed. But if in a general manner the hon. Member wants to show that because large powers are given to the Election Commission greater care must be taken by that Commission, then he would be quite in order.
Shri Alagesan: I think I can make a reference as to how the Election Commission has proceeded with its work so far.
Dr. Deshmukh : The hon. Member wants to show how the Election Commission has worked so far. He is quite in order.
Dr. Ambedkar: That may be debated when we take up the actual Order of the President delimiting constituencies.
- Shri P. Y. Deshpande : ...... The fact is that everybody has the right to vote and stand as a candidate. What power is left in us now, without changing the Constitution, to limit that right of any person to offer himself as a candidate for election ? He may be a Raja or an ex-Raja. If the people want him, let them elect him. Having given this right to every one, why should we now fight shy of that ? The Rajas of even black-marketeers, whatever men there are in society, if the people choose them, that would be their verdict; right or wrong, evil or good. If you want to limit that verdict, then change the Constitution first and then you can limit it.
Pandit Thakur Das Bhargava : The Constitution empowers this House to prescribe qualifications.
Shri P. Y. Deshpande: You have not done that, so far.
Dr. Ambedkar: We are now doing that.
*P. D., Vol. 11, Part II, 10th May 1951, p. 8491.