Vol. 15 · pages 601–605

584 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES Mr. Deputy Speaker : The question is : In clause 22, for “It shall be the general duty” substitute “It shall be the duty”. The motion was negatived. Mr. Deputy Speaker : The question is : “That clause 22 stand part of the Bill”. The motion was adopted. Clause 22 was added to the Bill. Clause 23. —(Provision of polling Stations etc. ) Shri Venkatraman : As regards amendment No. 294 in the Consolidated List, I thought the Hon. Minister might say that he would include it in the rules. Dr. Ambedkar : Such a provision will be made in the rules. Shri Venkataraman : Then 1 do not move it. Dr. Ambedkar : As regards amendment No. 295 of the Consolidated list, this also will be considered in the framing of rules. Shri J. R. Kapoor : With regard to the second part of my amendment No. 293 of the Consolidated List, I understand that Law Minister is prepared to incorporate such a thing in the rules in which case I will not move the amendment. Dr. Ambedkar : Yes. Mr. Deputy Speaker : I will now put the clause to the House. *Shri Shiv Charan Lal : What I submit is this. If the Government is going to be very strict about any sort or conveyance being prohibited, the distance should be shortened. The polling stations should be more in number. Dr. Ambedkar : Five points have been raised and I have been asked to make a statement on each one of them. The *P. D., Vol. 12, Part II, 15th May 1951, pp. 8806-9.

585PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES first point is, the number of polling stations. I have been asked to say whether the Government would so arrange the polling stations that not more than a certain number of voters would be clustered or fixed for a particular station. It is very difficult for me to commit to any particular figure. But, I can say this that the Government will undertake to fix the number of polling stations on such a scale that from the point of view of the capacity of a polling station to put through a certain number of voters and from the point of view of distance, the polling stations would be so arranged in their numbers that no voter who is willing to vote and present himself to the officer for voting will have to go disappointed either on account of distance or on account of over-crowding. The second question that has been raised is the fixation of the polling stations. I have been asked to say whether the authority of the election Commissioner in this matter would be final or whether there would be an opportunity for the persons interested to make representations to the Election Commissioner. It is quite obvious that persons, either voters or candidates, might be interested in having a particular polling station fixed at a particular place from the point of view that that suits them or gives them an advantage over certain other candidates. Obviously, no candidate or no voter could be allowed to have the final say in this matter. The ultimate authority must remain with the Election Commissioner. But, I am prepared to say this that arrangements would be made whereby before the election Commissioner finally fixes the polling stations, he will either invite representation or consult the people concerned in the matter before he makes his final decision. Then I come to three other points which relate to the conduct of elections. One is the despatch of a voting card by Government to each voter. The second is the despatch on account of Government of an election manifesto of a prescribed length to each voter and the third is the supply of electoral rolls on a concessional basis. The House will realise that it is very difficult for me to commit the Government on this matter, by giving a definite opinion or assurance, for it involves finance. But speaking not as a member of the

586 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES government, but as a Member of the House. I have great sympathy with the first two proposals, namely, the despatch of the voting card and the despatch of an election manifesto. With regard to the supply of the electoral roll, it seems to me that if Government were to undertake the despatching of a voting card to such individual voter, the necessity for the supply of electoral rolls on a concessional rate or more copies than one, does not appear to me to be urgent. After all what a candidate does after putting the electoral roll is to come into contact with the voter and tell him his number and also the polling booth at which the elections will take place. Dr. Deshmukh : What about the canvassers ? Dr. Ambedkar : Well, I do not know whether any particular candidate will be so lucky and fortunate as to have the means to employ such a large number of canvassers as to put the candidate actually in touch with each voter. It seems to me quite an impossible task. The candidate must rely upon his own individual personality and depend on how far he is known to the public, and if he is already not known, do something by which he becomes notorious in the district so that everybody may know him (an Hon. Member : Notorious ?) Famous or notorious, whatever it may be. I can quite understand that each candidate must have at least one set. Without that he cannot manage and that must not be prohibitive in price. Although I said that it involves financial consideration and I could give no assurance without consulting Government on this matter, I feel that the task of undertaking this responsibility has considerably eased on account of the suggestion made by Mr. Kapoor that there should be no great objection for distributing the cost between the Government and the candidate. I think that is a very reasonable and feasible proposal and I can assure the House that I will put this matter before Government and ask them to come to their own conclusions. Dr. Deshmukh : Will this decision be announced during the course of the passage of this Bill ?

587PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES Dr. Ambedkar : Well, before you stand for election I will announce it. Mr. Deputy Speaker : Order, order. I take serious objection to the Members moving about like this. A certain degree of decorum has to be maintained here. The question is “That, clause 23 stand part of the Bill.” The motion was adopted. Clause 23 was added to the Bill. Mr. Deputy Speaker : And the new clause 23A is not moved. Is there time to take up clause 24 ? Hon. Members : No, Sir. The House then adjourned till Half Past Eight of the clock on Wednesday, the 16th May, 1951.

588 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE (No. 2) —contd. *Clause 24. —(Presiding officer for polling stations ) Mr. Speaker : Amendment moved : In sub-clause (1) of clause 24, for the words “in or about the election” substitute the words “in the election in question”. The Minister of Law (Dr. Ambedkar) : I do not accept it. Mr. Speaker : Shall I put to vote both the amendments Nos. 299 and 300 ? Shri Naziruddin Ahmad : I should like amendment No 299 alone to be put to vote. If that is rejected, amendment No. 300 does not arise. Shri T. T. Krishnamachari (Madras) : May I ask the Hon. Law Minister to explain what he means by the words ‘about the election’ in the amendment ? Dr. Ambedkar : The answer is simple. The word ‘election’ may be used in a narrower sense, that is to say the act of election, when polling takes place. On the other hand an election may have a larger context, of other acts relating to an election, that is to say other than polling. This is the reason why the words are there. They are exactly the words from the English statutes. Prof. Ranga (Madras) : May I ask for an elucidation ? There are a lot of people who are Presidents and VicePresidents of Local Boards and also Ministers and Deputy Ministers. They have a number of these subordinates in the constituencies in which they stand as candidates. Would it be open to a Returning Officer to appoint such of the employees who are directly under their control as Polling Officers according to this provision ? Dr. Ambedkar : I do not think any difficulty arises so far as this particular clause is concerned. All that it says is that any person who is employed by the candidate in or about the *P. D., Vol. 12, Part XII, 19th May 1951, pp. 9098-9105.