HC Deb 30 May 1935 vol 302 cc1377-81

6.48 p.m.

Mr. BUTLER

I beg to move, in page 271, line 18, after the first "in," to insert "or prescribed under."

This paragraph deals with the qualifications for membership for the Federal Legislature, and the insertion of these words is merely to meet certain qualifications such as those, for example, included under paragraph 14 (b). It is a drafting

Amendment to bring into form the references to "prescribed" later on.

Amendment agreed to.

Mr. BUTLER

I beg to move, in page to leave out lines 8 to 10.

In Committee the Government decided to reserve one women's seat in the Council of State for each of the Provinces named in the paragraph. The hon. Lady the Member for Wallsend (Miss Ward) moved an Amendment, which we accepted provided we could look into the drafting of it. I am by this Amendment moving to omit the words put in on the Committee stage, and in the next Amendment I shall move to insert a new paragraph to take its place. There is no change in substance in that Amendment, but we consider our drafting meets the desires which the Committee had in mind a little more accurately.

Amendment agreed to.

Further Amendment made: In page line 27, at the end, insert: (2) In Madras, Bombay, Bengal, the United Provinces, the Punjab, and Bihar the foregoing provisions of this paragraph shall have effect subject to such modifications as may be prescribed for securing that in the case of each of those Provinces one at least of the seats filled in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph is always held by a woman and, in that connection, for determining what male candidate, if any, who would otherwise be elected, is to be replaced by a woman."—[Mr. Butler.]

Mr. BUTLER

I beg to move, in page 273, to leave out line 37.

It has been agreed that there shall be a Second Chamber in Assam, and therefore no reference to Assam needing an electoral college is required. This Amendment strikes out the line which refers to the composition of the electoral college in Assam.

Amendment agreed to.

Mr. BUTLER

I beg to move, in page 274, line 5, at the end, to insert: and in any of the general constituencies one or more seats may be reserved for members of the scheduled castes.

This Amendment has been thought desirable, since it was probable, in the case of the Central Provinces electoral college, that the depressed classes could not gain a seat by the normal operation of the quota. I move the Amendment in order to make this addition and to be fair to the scheduled castes.

6.52 p.m.

Mr. COCKS

Will the Under-Secretary explain how the scheduled castes will be represented as a result of this Amendment?

Mr. C. WILLIAMS

This Amendment refers to scheduled classes and a few minutes ago we were dealing with the position of women. I thought there was a little confusion in official circles, and I should like to know whether this Amendment upsets the Amendment which referred to women.

Duchess of ATHOLL

I would like, as one of the Members who pressed the Government for reserved seats for the scheduled castes on the Council of State, to express my thanks to the Government for having met us.

6.53 p.m.

Mr. BUTLER

With reference to the remarks of the hon. Member for Torquay (Mr. C. Williams), I agree that these Schedules are very complicated, but I cannot agree that the Government are at fault. I would only remind the hon. Member that he himself is at fault. This Amendment deals with electoral colleges, but the previous Amendment dealt with the Upper House, and there is a difference between the Upper House and the electoral colleges. The remarks of the hon. Member for Broxtowe (Mr. Cocks) are best met if he reads consecutively the Schedule as amended. We consider that without a special reference to reservation it might not be possible for the scheduled classes to secure election.

Amendment agreed to.

6.55 p.m.

The SOLICITOR-GENERAL

I beg to move, in page 278, line 5, to leave out "and" and to insert "or."

This and the following two Amendments refer to the definition paragraph in regard to Europeans and AngloIndians. A similar Amendment came up on the Burma Schedule, which is now the Twelfth Schedule, and the Committee decided that the word should be "or" instead of "and." It is a somewhat technical matter which was gone into at some length in Committee, and this Amendment will bring the definition in line with what the Committee decided in the Burma Schedule. With reference to the two following Amendments, it was suggested that the word "descent" might be more appropriate than the word "race." I do not know that it makes much difference, but on consideration we think that "descent" is the better word.

Amendment agreed to.

Further Amendments made: In page 278, line 7, leave out "race," and insert "descent."—[The Solicitor-General.]

Consequential Amendment made.

7.0 p.m.

Mr. BUTLER

I beg to move, in page 284, line 21, after "Punjab," insert, "or the Government of Assam."

This Amendment adds to the States which are in political relations with the Government of the. Punjab the States which are in political relations with the Government of Assam. This has relation to the Khasi States which are in relation with Assam, and to which we thought reference must be made in the Schedule.

Amendment agreed to.

Further Amendments made: In page 291, line 26, column 5, leave out "2,852,197," and insert "3,032,197."

In page 291, line 34, leave out "78,801,912," and insert "78,981,912."