Vol. 13 · pages 581–585

of the communities. All that I can do at this stage is to give an assurance that I shall communicate these sentiments to those who will be in charge of this matter and I have not the least doubt about it that the matter will be properly attended to. Sir, if the Members who are interested in it are not satisfied with the assurance that I am giving now, they can at some stage—it is not possible to do it now—move an amendment to article 149 permitting the President to have an interim census, if he deems it necessary taken for the purpose of removing the grievances to which they have referred. In fact, I have with me a draft which might be considerd at a later date. Some such draft like this may be considered : “Provided further that the initial representation of the several territorial constituencies of the legislative assembly of any State may be determined in such other manner as the President may by order direct.” That would be general enough and would deal with the difficulty which has been pointed out. An Honourable Member : Why do you not move it now ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : There is no time for it now. If Members are not prepared to rely upon the assurance given by me some such motion may be moved at the appropriate stage. With regard to the point raised by my honourable friend Prof. Saksena in amendment No. 64, I may say that I whole heartedly support it. I think the proviso he has sought to introduce is a very necessary one. The House will remember that it deals with weightage in representation. We have, in this Constitution, eliminated all sorts of weightages. Weightage to all minorities we have eliminated. Weightage to territories in the representation in the Central Legislature we have eliminated. Weightage between representatives in British India and representatives of Indian States we have eliminated. I think therefore that it is only right that the same principle should apply to representation in legislatures. I therefore accept that amendment. Sir, I do not think there is any other point worthy of consideration or calling for reply. I therefore recommend to the House the acceptance of article 149, as amended. Mr. Vice-President : I a m now going to put the amendments to vote one by one. 548 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES

***** Mr. Vice-President : Amendment No. 48 of List II. The question is : “That for amendment No. 2249 of the List of Amendments, the following be substituted :— ‘That in clause (3) of article 149, for the words “last preceding census” the words “last preceding census of which the relevant figures have been published “ be substituted’.” Following amendments were adopted by the House : (1) That with reference to amendments Nos. 2249 and 2250 of the list of amendments in clause (3) of article 149, for the words ‘every lakh’ the words ‘every seventy-live thousand’ be substituted.” (2) “With reference to amendment No. 2252 of the list of Amendments, after the words ‘autonomous districts of Assam’ the words and the constituency comprising the cantonment and municipality of Shillong’ be added. (3) “With reference to amendments Nos. 2256, 2257 and 2258 of List of Amendments, in the proviso to clause (3) of article 149, for the words ‘three hundred’ the words ‘five hundred’ be substituted.” (4) “That after clause (3) of article 149, the following New Clause be inserted :— ‘(3-a) The ratio between the number of members to be alloted to each territorial constituency in a State and the population of that constituency as ascertained at the last preceding census of which the relevant figures have been published shall, so far as particable, be the same throughout the State’.” The amendment was adopted. (Article 149, as amended was added to the Constitution.) [The assembly then adjourned till Monday the 16th May 1949.] zz 549DRAFT CONSTITUTION

SECTION FIVE Clausewise Discussion 16th May 1949 to 16th June 1949