600 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
be required to meet those charges immediately then and there. Therefore sheer equity would require that some time may be given to him in order that the candidate may either produce some documentary evidence or the oral evidence of some witnesses to disprove the allegation and it is on that ground that I felt inclined to accept that amendment, because otherwise it would be permitting one candidate to take another by complete surprise by not giving any time to disprove the allegation. I think that this is an amendment which certainly appeals to me and ought to appeal to everybody.........
Shri Santhanam : Will it be possible for the Returning Officer to accept those nominations for which no objections had been raised. He has to decide all the nominations at the same time.
Dr. Ambedkar : Where is the hurry for the man accepting some nominations. After all he has to accept the nominations on the final date after the adjournment. There is no harm. This will be done on the final day and that is what the amendment says. The amendment is very clear. The Returning Officer must record his decision on the date to which the proceedings have been adjourned. There is no discretion given to the returning officer to postpone decision.
Shri Santhanam : Cannot objection be taken on the postponed day also ? It must be made clear. Supposing on the other day some objection is raised.
Dr. Ambedkar : Objection must be raised on the day on which the scrutiny begins—there can be no objection on any other day except the date of scrutiny.
Mr. Chairman : The question raised by Mr. Syamnandan Sahaya and Mr. Hussain Imam is : is there any provision for such a contingency ?
Dr. Ambedkar : There is no provision. Can anybody make any provision ? Can anybody know how long the riot will last ? In Bombay the riot lasted sometimes for twenty-nine days. Therefore it must be left to the Returning Officer to be convinced that matters are peaceful and he can hold the scrutiny. How can anybody say in a law that if the Returning