Vol. 15 · pages 1076–1080

1057PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES tax Appellate Tribunal is the only statutory body of a permanent nature so functioning. (i) It was constituted in the year 1941. (ii) The expenditure varies from year to year. The budget grant for the current year is Rs. 7,87,700. (iii) The accounts are audited by the Accountant General concerned. (iv) Monthly reports of disposal of appeals and applications by the different Benches of the Tribunal are received in the Ministry. In addition an annual administration report is also submitted by the Tribunal to the Ministry. Information relating to the Tribunal is incorporated in the Notes on the activities of the Ministry circulated annually to members of Parliament in connection with the demands for grants. (b) None. (c) None. (46) *ELECTIONS IN SNOW-CLAD AREAS OF PUNJAB 83. Giani G. S. Mussafir: (a) Will the Minister of Law be pleased to state whether it is a fact that the areas of Lahaul and Spiti in the Punjab remain snow-clad during most of the year round ? (b) If the answer to part (a) above be in the affirmative, what arrangement do Government propose to make for holding elections in that area simultaneously with the rest of the Union ? (c) If not, when do Government propose to hold elections in that area ? The Minister of Law (Dr. Ambedkar): (a) to (c). From a recent report of the Punjab Government it appears that Spiti is usually snow-bound after August, and Lahaul, after October. The question whether elections in these two sparsely populated regions should be held earlier than January next, or if that is not practicable, what special arrangements should be made for holding the elections in January is being *P. D., Vol. 9, Part I, 22nd August 1951, p. 551.

1058 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES considered by the Election Commission in consultation with the Punjab Government. An announcement will be made as soon as a decision is reached. (47) *MANUFACTURE OF BALLOT BOXES 84. Shri A. B. Gurung: Will the Minister of Law be pleased to refer to starred question No. 2084 for 10th March 1951 and state the names of firms, with whom the Government of India have placed orders for preparing ballot boxes for the ensuing general elections in Part C States ? The Minister of Law (Dr. Ambedkar): The Chief Commissioners of all Part C States (except Manipur and Tripura) have placed orders for ballot boxes with Messrs Godrej and Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd., Bombay, and the Chief Commissioners of Manipur and Tripura have placed orders with Messrs. Bungo Steel Furniture Ltd., Calcutta. The orders have been placed with the approval both of the Government of India and of the Election Commission. (48) **HINDI TRANSLATION OF ACTS 530. Shri Raj Kanwar: Will the Minister of Law be pleased to state whether all the Acts passed since 15th August 1947 have been translated into Hindi ? The Minister of Law (Dr. Ambedkar): No Sir. But out of 274 Central Acts passed between the 15th August 1947 and the end of the Third Session of Parliament last June, 113 have been translated into Hindi. Shri Raj Kanwar: When are the remaining Acts going to be translated into Hindi ? Dr. Ambedkar: I am quite unable to commit myself. *P. D., Vol. 9, Part I, 22nd August 1951, p. 562. ** Ibid., 27th August 1951, p. 659.

1059PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES Seth Govind Das: Have the Government established any special section for that purpose and have some persons been appointed in order that all these Acts may be translated into Hindi ? Dr. Ambedkar: There is a section in the Law Ministry consisting of Hindi translators who translate the most important Bills passed by Parliament. Seth Govind Das: Have all the Acts connected with the forthcoming elections been translated into Hindi, and if not, when is that work likely to be completed ? Dr. Ambedkar: I cannot give a definite answer. So far as my information extends I think it is contemplated to translate those Acts into Hindi. Shri Sondhi: Will they be done before the General Elections ? Dr. Ambedkar: I believe so. Shri Jnani Ram: May I know if the People’s Represen-tation Acts have been translated into Hindi ? Dr. Ambedkar: I think they are under translation. Shri A. C. Guha : Have the Government any idea of translating these Acts into other Indian languages as well ? Shri Raj Kanwar: Normally how long after the publication of an Act in English is the translation in Hindi available ? Dr. Ambedkar: There is no such thing as normality in this. Shri Amolakh Chand: May I know if the People’s Representation Acts would be translated before the elections or after ? Dr. Ambedkar: It depends upon the capacity of the different departments to undertake this task but I suppose my friend can assume that Government has sense to understand that no purpose would be served in translating them after the elections. Seth Govind Das: So far as the Acts relating to the elections are concerned, how many of them have been translated into Hindi, how many have been published and how many remain to be published and in what time are they expected to be published ? Dr. Ambedkar: My friend evidently is under the impression that there is an ocean of laws which deal with

1060 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES representation or elections. We have got only two small Acts and one of them is the People’s Representation Act. I have no doubt that……… Seth Govind Das: When there are only three Acts pertaining to the elections, one big and two small ones, why is so much time being taken in their translation ? Dr. Ambedkar: Because there are only about two translators. Seth Govind Das : Why don’t you increase their number then ? Dr. Ambedkar: Because the Finance Minister would not give the sanction. Shri Kamath: So far as the translation of these various Acts into Hindi is concerned may, I know if the Government in the Law Ministry or in its Secretariat has standardised Hindi with a standard vocabulary and a standard dictionary of Hindi ? Dr. Ambedkar: I suppose standardisation of Hindi is something which has to come in the future, unless my friend wants that the Hindi which prevails in U.P. should be accepted as the standard. Shri Kamath: No, Madhya Pradesh. Giani G. S. Musafir: Will the Government keep it in mind that the translation should be in simple Hindi so that it may be comprehensible to all ? Dr. Ambedkar: I think the Government will see to it. Seth Govind Das : May I suggest to the Hon. Minister that so far as the transaction of Acts is concerned, if permanent hands cannot be added to the section, at least some temporary hands may be engaged for the time being so that their translation may be expedited ? The Minister of State for Finance (Shri Tyagi): I should like to have notice for consideration of this suggestion.

1061PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (49) *MOCK ELECTIONS 532. Shri Sidhva: Will the Minister of Law be pleased to state : (a) whether the Election Commissioner has held mock elections at certain places; (b) If so, the places at which these were held and the number of voters who participated ; (c) how much time was taken in recording the votes; and (d) whether the Election Commissioner has formulated his plans for real elections on the basis of the time occupied by such mock elections ? The Minister of Law (Dr. Ambedkar): (a) to (d). The Election Commission directed the various State Governments in May 1951, to hold mock elections under all the assumed conditions of polling in order to obtain actual data and experience in the conduct of the forthcoming elections as also to get an idea of the average time required in recording votes. The Commission has asked the State Governments for information as regards places where rehearsals have actually been held, and so far a report has been received only from Orissa. The experience gained at these mock elections is to be taken into account in planning the actual number and the location of the polling stations. The tentative proposals of the State Governments framed on the experience of these mock elections will be published for general information and thereafter finalised in consultation with the Election Commission in the light of the suggestions, if any, received from the public. Shri Sidhva: In that mock election how many votes were recorded in any one of the States ? Dr. Ambedkar: I have no information. Shri Sidhva: What was the opinion of the Election Commissioner regarding the voting by illiterate persons ? Was it very successful ? *P. D., Vol. 9, Part I, 27th August 1951, p. 664.