§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Clause stand part of the Bill."
§ 12.55 p.m.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODI have an Amendment down to this Clause which has not been selected. Therefore, I desire to speak on the Clause without the opportunity of moving that Amendment. This Clause deals with the composition of the Chambers of Provincial Legislatures.
§ The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN (Captain Bourne)The right hon. and gallant Gentleman should discuss that, not on this Clause, but on the Fifth Schedule.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODOn the Schedule we discuss the allocation of seats on the communal award, but that is not where, in my opinion, we can raise the question of communal electorates.
§ The DEPUTY-CHAIRMANIt cannot possibly be raised on this Clause.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODThere are 362,000,000 Hindus who are opposed to this communal election.
§ The DEPUTY-CHAIRMANThe right hon. and gallant Gentleman is now attempting to argue the point which I ruled that he must not argue. He must abide by my ruling.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODThe composition of the Assembly is the most important thing in this Act, and yet we are all prohibited from discussing it.
§ The DEPUTY-CHAIRMANThe right hon. and gallant Gentleman must not say that. I have pointed out that the place to discuss it is on the Fifth Schedule. It will then be perfectly in order to discuss it.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODWhen we come to the Fifth Schedule we shall already have decided that there is to be com- 1518 munal representation, and the only thing that we can discuss on that Schedule is the allocation of the communal award to the different communities. There is no opportunity of discussing the question of communal electorates.
§ The DEPUTY-CHAIRMANI cannot follow the right hon. and gallant Gentleman. The Clause states that the composition of the Chamber or Chambers of the Legislature of a Province shall be such as specified in the Fifth Schedule. That leaves the Committee free to alter and amend this schedule to such an extent as the Committee thinks fit.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODIf you will look at the Schedule, you will see that we can alter the number of seats that can, be given to the Mohammedans, the Hindus, the women, or any one else; but we cannot alter the fact that over the whole of India elections are to be held on a communal electorate instead of on a general list as in this country. We shall have no opportunity of discussing whether the English system of a general electorate or, as the Mohammedans believe but as the Hindus deny, the system of separate elections is best. I submit that it can only be discussed here, and that it would be out of order on the Schedule.
§ The DEPUTY-CHAIRMANI think that the right hon. and gallant Gentleman is mistaken. It seems to me that a different Sub-section can be put in for Sub-section (4) of this Schedule. The right hon. Gentleman's Amendment will not be prejudiced, but I cannot allow a general discussion on a Schedule which is not before the Committee.