Vol. 17, Part II · pages 481–485

456 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES Contents Part I Constitution : The Date of its coming into force Part II Federation : Its Aims and objects .. Part III Organisation : Local .. .. Part IV Organisation : Central .. .. Part V Duties, Powers and functions of Office Holders .. .. Part VI Relations between local organisations and the Central Executive Committee .. Part VII Finance .. .. Part VIII Election .. .. Part IX Election Disputes .. .. Part X Selection of Candidates .. .. Part XI Miscellaneous .. .. Part XII Amendment of the Constitution .. .. Part XIII Rules of discipline .. .. Part XIV Transitory provisions .. ..

457ALL INDIA SCHEDULED CASTES FEDERATION PART I Date of Coming into Force ARTICLE I 1. This Constitution may be called the CONSTITUTION OF THE ALL INDIA SCHEDULED CASTES FEDERATION. 2. It shall, except as specified in Parts IX and X come into force on the 1st of May, 1957. PART II Aims, Objects and Powers ARTICLE II 1. The aims and objects of the Federation are : (i) to organise the Scheduled Castes of India, to educate them and to agitate for their social, economic and political freedom and to make them strive for their well being and advancement; (ii) to secure for them equality of opportunity and thereby enable them to achieve equal status with their fellow citizens in all walks of life ; (iii) to engage itself in organising the Peasantry, the landless labourers and the workers in factories and other wage-earners ; (iv) to undertake educational activities such as starting of Schools and teaching them arts and crafts; (v) to undertake all activities for the moral and spiritual elevation of the Scheduled Castes: and (vi) to keep a record of all cases of tyrannies and oppressions practised upon the Scheduled Castes in different parts of the Country. 2. The Powers of the Federation are : (i) to purchase, take on lease or otherwise acquire property for the Federation and to invest and deal with the moneys of the Federation in such manner as may from time to time be determined ; (ii) to construct, maintain, rebuild, repair, alter, replace or reinstate houses, buildings, or works for the purposes of the Federation;

458 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES (iii) to sell, dispose of, improve, manage, develop, exchange, lease, mortgage or otherwise, alienate or deal with all or any property of the Federation; (iv) to raise money with or without security for carrying out any of the purposes, aims and objects of the Federation; (v) to get the Federation registered or recognised in any pan of India; and (vi) to do all other lawful things and acts as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of any of the aforesaid aims and objects. PART III Organisation : Local ARTICLE III I Local Organisation : 1. For the purpose of organising the Scheduled Castes under the All-India Scheduled Castes Federation there shall be constituted the following local organisation : (i) The Village Federation Committee; (ii) The Taluka Federation Committee; (iii) The District Federation Committee; and (iv) The State Federation Committee. Explanation : Federation Committees in cities with a population of more than two lakhs will have the status of a District Federation Committee. 2. A District means an area comprised in a constituency for a State Assembly. II Central Organisation : 1. The Central Organisation of the All-India Scheduled Castes Federation shall consist of : (i) The All India Committee of the Federation; (ii) The Central Executive Committee of the Federation; and (iii) The General Session or Special Session of the Federation. 2. All the Local Organisations and the Central Organisations shall be the Constituent Bodies of the Federation.

459ALL INDIA SCHEDULED CASTES FEDERATION ARTICLE IV 1. Subject to the explanation herein below any person belonging to the Scheduled Caste, and (i) whose name is on the voters’ list; and (ii) who accepts this Constitution shall be a member of the Federation and shall have a right to vote in the election to any of the Constituent Bodies of the Federation as may be Federation and shall have a right to vote in the election to any of the Constituent Bodies of the Federation as may be provided for by the Rules. Explanations : (1) Any person belonging to the Scheduled Castes who is not a member of any other political or any social or religious organisations whose aims and objects are not approved of by the Central Executive Committe of the Federation and who has not by word or by conduct declined to be a member of the Federation shall be deemed to have agreed to be a member of the Federation and accept the Constitution. (2) Voters’ list means list of voters prepared by the State Government for a State Assembly Constituency. (3) Scheduled Caste means a caste recognised as such by the Constitution of India. 2. Provision may be made by rules for associate member ship of the Federation and the privileges that may be conferred on them. An associate member need not be a member of the Scheduled Caste. ARTICLE - V 1. The list of Scheduled Caste voters for the Assembly Election of a State shall be the register of members on which elections to the Constituent Bodies of the Federation shall be based. 2. Every such person shall be qualified to vote and shall also be qualified to stand for election unless disqualified by any of the rules made in that behalf by or under the authority of the Federation.

460 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES ARTICLE VI 1. For every State recognised by the Constitution of India as a State for the time being there shall be a State Federation Committee with its headquarters located in the capital of the State. 2. The Primary Unit of the All-India Scheduled Castes Federation shall be the Village Committee of the Federation. 3. The Village Federation Committee shall consist of— persons chosen by the Scheduled Castes voters in the village and who are members of the Federation. 4. The Taluka Federation Committee shall consist of— members chosen by members of the Village Federation Committee within the Taluka, in accordance with the quota fixed in the State Working Committee in proportion to the Scheduled Caste population of each village to the total Scheduled Caste population of the Taluka. 5. The District Federation Committee shall consist of— members chosen by the members of the Taluka Federation Committees within each district in accordance with the quota fixed by the State Working Committee in proportion to the Scheduled Caste population of each Taluka to the total Scheduled Caste population of the District. 6. The State Federation Committee shall consist of— members chosen by the members of the District Federation Committees within the State in accordance with the quota fixed by the State Working Committee in proportion to the Scheduled Caste population of each District to the total population of the State. 7. The Village Federation Committee shall elect a Chairman from among its own members. The Chairman shall nominate— members of the Village Federation Committee to constitute a Working Committee. Out of the members of the Working Committee the Chairman shall nominate one member to act as Secretary and another member to act as a Treasurer. 8. The Taluka Federation Committee shall elect a Chairman from among its own members. The Chairman shall nominate— members of the Taluka Federation Committee to constitute a Working Committee for the Taluka. Out of the members of the