CIVIL AND CRIMINAL COURTS (CONGRESS PARTY).

HC Deb 17 November 1930 vol 245 cc10-1

15. Mr. MARJORIBANKS

asked the Secretary of State for India what action has been taken with regard to the threat by the Congress party to set up independent civil and criminal courts; whether such courts have in fact met; whether any members of the Indian bar or bench have taken part; and whether any arrests have been made or prosecutions instituted?

Mr. BENN

I have no information of any serious development of this idea or of any resulting infringement of the law.

Mr. MARJORIBANKS

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether there has been any infringement of the law at all?

Mr. BENN

That is the question which I have attempted to answer on the information at my disposal.

Mr. MARJORIBANKS

On a point of Order. I did not put down "serious" I do not know whether there was any point in the observation "serious" by the right hon. Gentleman Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether there has been any infringement of the law on this occasion?

Mr. BENN

I have answered the question by saying that I have no information of any serious development of this idea nor of any resulting infringements of the law. That seems to me to be quite a plain answer.