§ 3. Mr. MORGAN JONESasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that applicants for registration in the Surat district as matriculate voters who are able to adduce proof of having passed the intermediate arts B.A. or LL.B. examinations are precluded from such registration unless they also furnish proof of having passed the matriculation examination; and whether he will take immediate steps to bring this action on the part of the Bombay Government to an end?
§ Mr. BUTLERI am satisfied that it is not practicable to modify the arrangements for the registration of voters referred to by the hon. Member. But I have ascertained that production of the matriculation certificate in original is not insisted upon and that the university authorities have arranged to issue a copy to persons who cannot produce the original certificate.
§ Mr. JONESIs the hon. Gentleman aware that I have a copy of the actual statement from the Government office, which indicates that application cannot be put in unless there is proof that the person concerned has attained the matriculation standard? May we not take it for granted that a student who has passed the intermediate arts B.A. or LL.B. has necessarily passed the matriculation standard?
§ Mr. BUTLERI am aware of the difficulty in the hon. Gentleman's mind, so I made inquiries over the week-end, and was able to find out that the university authorities had taken this decision in order to facilitate the registration of those who had passed matriculation.