Vol. 17, Part II · pages 491–495

466 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES publication of the names of contesting candidates, each person qualified to take part in the selection shall be entitled to record, for the selection of a President, his vote in the following manner: (a) On the voting paper, which shall exhibit, the names of the candidates, the voter shall record his vote. (b) Every voter shall have one vote. (c) A simple majority shall be enough for the selection of the President. (d) The State Federation Committee shall immediately forward the ballot box to the office of the All-India Committee of the Federation. (e) As soon as may be, after the receipt of the ballot boxes, the Returning Officer, shall count the votes recorded for each candidate and a candidate who has secured a majority of the votes shall be declared elected as President. (f) In the event of any emergency arising by reason of any cause, such as death or resignation of the President, elected as above, the Central Executive Committee shall forthwith fix a date for a fresh election as prescribed above. In case such procedure is not found possible by the Central Executive Committee, it shall convene a meeting of the All-India Committee of the Federation to elect a President. (g) The President shall preside over the Sessions of Federation held after his election and during his term of office and he shall exercise all the powers of the Central Executive Committee when it is not in Session. PART V Duties, Functions and Powers of Office-Holders ARTICLE XIV 1. The Central Executive Committee shall consist of the President of the Federation and twenty members, including a Treasurer and the General Secretary, who shall be appointed by the President. Ordinarily, members of the Central Executive

467ALL INDIA SCHEDULED CASTES FEDERATION Committee will be appointed from amongst the members of the All-India Committee of the Federation but, in special cases a person who is not member of the All-India Committee of the Federation may be appointed, provided, however, that a person so appointed shall cease to be a member of the Central Executive Committee if he is not elected as a member of the All-India Committee of the Federation within six months of his appointment. 2. The quorum for a meeting of the Central Executive Committee shall be seven. 3. The Central Executive Committee shall be the highest executive authorty of the Federation and shall have the power to carry into effect the policy and programme laid down by the Federation and by the All-India Committee of the Federation and shall be responsible to the All-India Committee of the Federation. It shall be the final authority in all matters regarding interpretation and application in all matters regarding the provisions of this Constitution. 4. The Central Executive Committee shall place before every meeting of the All-India Committee of the Federation a report of proceedings of the previous meeting of the All-India Committee of the Federation, and also an agenda of business for the meeting and shall allot time for non-official resolutions of which due notice may have been given by the members of the All-India Committee of the Federation in accordance with the rules prescribed in that behalf. 5. The Central Executive may appoint one or more auditors, or inspectors or other officers to examine the records, papers and account books of all committees of the Federation and organisations. It shall be incumbent on all such committees and organisations to furnish all required information to the Auditors, Inspectors or other Officers and to give them access to all officers, accounts and records. 6. The Central Executive Committee shall have the power : (i) to frame rules for the proper working of the organisation. Such rules shall as early as possible be placed for the consideration of All-India Committee of the Federation ;

468 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES (ii) to issue instructions not inconsistent with the Constitution and the rules in all matters not otherwise provided for; (iii) to superintend, direct and control all local committees and subordinate committees as well as the Reception Committee ; (iv) to take such disciplinary action as it may deem fit against the Chairmen or a Committee other than the All-India Committee of the Federation ; (v) to meet any special situation, the Central Executive Committee shall have the power to take such action in the interest of the Federation as it may deem fit; provided, however, that if any action is taken, which is beyond, the powers of the Central Executive Committee as defined in this Constitution, it shall be submitted as early as possible to the All-India Committee of the Federation for ratification ; (vi) to frame rules for maintaining discipline in the Federation and for disfranchising and enfranchising members. 7. The Central Executive Committee shall have the powers in special cases of difficulties to relax application of provisions of this Constitution without in any way violating the Constitution. 8. The Central Executive Committee shall have the accounts of the All-India Committee of the Federation audited annually by an auditor or auditors appointed by the All-India Committee of the Federation every year. PART VI Relation Between the Local Organisations and the Central Executive Committee ARTICLE XV 1. Subject to the general control of the President, the General Secretary shall be in-charge of the office of the AllIndia Committee of the Federation.

469ALL INDIA SCHEDULED CASTES FEDERATION 2. The General Secretary shall be responsible collectively for the preparation and publication of a report of the proceedings of the Session of the Federation, including its audited accounts, as soon as possible after the Session. 3. The General Secretary shall prepare a report of the work of the All-India Committee of the Federation and the Central Executive Committee including an audited statement of accounts, for the period since the last submission of such report and submit the same to the first meeting of the All-India Committee of the Federation held before the Session of the Federation. ARTICLE XVI 1. All moneys received for the Federation on behalf of the Central Organisation of the Federation shall be paid to the President and shall be held by him for the use of the Federation. 2. The Treasurer may obtain funds from the President for approved purposes. 3. The Treasurer or any one making any disbursement on behalf of the Federation shall secure a voucher for every item of expenditure incurred by him out of any funds that may be in his hands. ARTICLE XVII 1. Subject to the control of the Central Executive Committee, every State Federation Committee shall ordinarily function through District Federation Committees. 2. Subject to the general supervision and control of the AllIndia Federation Committee, the State Federation Committee be in charge of the affairs of the Federation Committee within its own State. 3. An annual report of the work done by the local organisations of the Federation in the State including its audited balance sheet shall be submitted by the Chairman to the Central Executive Committee. 4. On failure of any State Federation to function in terms of this Constitution or in accordance with the direction of the State Federation, the latter may suspend the existing Committee and form an ad hoc Committee to carry on the work of the Federation in the State.

470 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES PART VII Finance ARTICLE XVIII 1. There shall be levied on each village committee of the Federation an amount to be paid annually to the Federation. 2. The levy shall be fixed by the Working Committee of the State in accordance with the Scheduled Castes population of the village which has accepted membership of the Federation. 3. It shall be the duty of the Chairman of the Village Federation Committee to send statement of accounts to the Chairman of the State Federation Committee. 4. The amount collected by the State Federation Committee shall be distributed as follows : (1) One-eighth shall be allotted to the Village Federation Committee. (2) One-eighth shall be allotted to the Taluka Federation Committee. (3) One-eighth shall be allotted to the District Federation Committee. (4) Five-sixteenth shall be allotted to the State Federation Committee. (5) Five-sixteenth shall be allotted to the Centre. 5. Every member of the Central Executive Committee of the Federation and every member of the All-India Committee of the Federation whether elected, ex-officio, associate or nominated, shall pay an annual fee of Rs. 10 to the Federation. 6. Every member of the Working Committee of the Village Committee, Taluka Committee, District Committee and State Committee shall pay an annual fee of Rs. 5 per year to their respective Committees. 7. The fees due from members of the Central Executive shall form part of the revenues of the Federation. The fees due from members of the Village Committee shall form part of the Village Committee, from Working Committee of the Taluka shall go to the Taluka Committee, of the District to the District, from the Working Committee of the State to the State.