HC Deb 01 March 1937 vol 321 cc1-3
1. Major-General Sir Alfred Knox

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to the decoration of polling-booths with party slogans in the recent elections in Bombay; and whether it has been the custom in elections throughout India for polling-stations to be so decorated with party slogans?

The Under-Secretary of State for India (Mr. Butler)

I understand that polling booths in Bombay were not decorated with party slogans, and, so far as I am aware, this has not been the custom elsewhere in India.

Sir A. Knox

Has the hon. Gentleman seen the picture in the "Times," which shows a party slogan on one of these polling booths?

Mr. Butler

Perhaps the hon. and gallant Gentleman is confusing the polling booths with the agents' booths, which are usually adjacent to the polling booths, and are generally so decorated.

3. Mr. Sorensen

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India how many persons have been arrested and how many sentenced for taking the independence pledge during the elections; and whether any arrests have been or are likely to be made for reading out in public a statement of this pledge printed in official Government publications?

Mr. Butler

I have no information as to the number of arrests, if any, made in this connection. In view of the action taken by local governments in declaring copies of the independence pledge of 1930 to be forfeited, the Congress President cancelled his instructions that the reading of this pledge should form an essential part of the celebration of "Independence Day," so it is improbable that there was any large number of such arrests.

Mr. Sorensen

Will the hon. Gentleman give me a reply to the last portion of my question, in which I draw attention to the fact that the pledge has been printed in Government publications, and has, in fact, been read out on several occasions?

Mr. Butler

The hon. Member asked me a specific question about the independence pledge, and as the Congress President withdrew his instructions upon this point, I think it is very unlikely that any arrests were made.

Mr. Sorensen

Can the hon. Gentleman give any information regarding the last sentence in the question?

Mr. Butler

No, Sir, but I will certainly look into the matter again. I thought I had answered the points the hon. Gentleman put.

Back to