constituent assembly of india debates (proceedings)- volume vii

Shri R. V. Dhulekar : *[Sir, I submit that the period of two hours that will be given to us tomorrow
for general discussion is too short. It is a different matter that hundreds of amendments will be received.
When every member gets an opportunity of expressing his views, the amendments that are tabled after
a discussion of a few days, are altered. The amendments are not referred to in the discussion. Therefore
I request that if we are given three or four days' time for discussion and every Member is asked to
observe the rule that he should not speak for more than fifteen minutes, every Member then will have
the satisfaction that he has made his contribution in the House in the framing of the constitution. I
submit that one day means only five hours time. If Dr. Ambedkar takes it up at four today and takes half
the time tomorrow, there will hardly be left any time for us. Therefore I humbly request that we may be
given an opportunity of speaking on this highly important constitution. The opportunity of framing the
constitution does not come over and over again and everyone desires to speak out whatever he has to
say for his country and nation. I want to submit also that whatever we speak here is not meant for this
House only or for the present time only. Whatever is spoken here will be read even after hundred or two
hundred or four hundred years and the people will come to know of the views of their ancestors one
particular point. They will interpret it accordingly. Therefore, Sir, I think we the Members in this House
will be highly obliged if at least four days are granted to us. Everyone of us wants only fifteen minutes
and I want to tell you on behalf of other Members also that if this opportunity is given to us, we shall sit
together and come to a decision regarding the hundreds of amendments that may be brought forward
and the Members of this House will help you in finalising the constitution as quickly as possible.]*
Mr. President: *[We shall consider this later on. The time now being spent on the preliminary
discussion reduces the time available for detailed discussion. Therefore, I would ask that you allow the
real work to start.]*
Pandit Thakur Dass Bhargava (East Punjab: General):*[Mr. President, at the very outset I would
like to enquire whether the Honourable Dr. Ambedkar has given any notice of his intention to introduce
the Draft Constitution as required by the Rule 38-L or not. I am asking for this information, because if no
such notice has been given, I am afraid he can not move for consideration. According to the rules five
days' notice is necessary.]*
Mr. President: *[Yes! It has been included there. It has been included in the Agenda. It being a redraft
all the amendments will be taken up again.]*
Pandit Thakur Dass Bhargava: *[Another point which I wanted to bring to your notice falls under
Rules 38-M. The copy of the draft constitution, which is a re-draft, has been given to us just today at the
time when you were adjourning the House for lunch, whereas it should have reached us much earlier. I
think all the Members have not received a copy each so far. According to Rule 38-M. such copies should
reach the Members at least three days before ,more particularly for the reason that it contains various
reports on new matters. Unless it has been thoroughly read and studied, how can amendments be
sent?]*
Mr. President: *[Which copy are you referring to? The Draft Constitution placed before you by Dr.
Ambedkar of 21stFebruary, the copies of which were distributed, will be moved by him and the
amendments on it will be proposed as amendments and they will be moved on behalf of the Drafting
Committee.]*
Pandit Thakur Dass Bhargava: *[The third point for submission on which I respectfully want to lay
more emphasis is regarding the interpretation of Rule 38-O. In my opinion the view that the words "two
clear days before the `day' on which the constitution is to be considered" in Rule 38-O is that all the
amendments should reach the office by Sunday before 5 P.M., is not correct for the reason that the
constitution shall not be taken up for consideration on the 9th November only; rather, its consideration
will continue from day to day when the clauses will be discussed. There will be other dates further on