GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ACT, 1919: DRAFT RULES. (Hansard, 26 July 1920)

§ LORD SYDENHAM
My Lords, it is quite impossible to follow the break-neck speed at which this Indian legislation has been pressed through this House. There was no opportunity on the 15th of this month for moving Amendments, because nobody had any time to master the Rules themselves. I only knew this morning that the final stage of these Rules was to be taken to-day. There is one Amendment which I should very much like to lay before your Lordships. It is a very small matter. and I hope that I am not out of order in moving it. In another place, as the noble and learned Lord has said, an Amendment was put, and accepted by the Secretary of State, conferring the franchise for the Provincial Councils upon retired officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of the Regular Indian Army; and another Amendment was proposed, but was defeated on a Division, conferring the franchise for the Indian Legislature on officers and commissioned officers.
All I wish to propose is that this privilege should be conferred upon retired officers. It is a very small matter when about six million voters, most of them, or a very large number of them illiterate, are being placed upon the register. It will confer no real political power beyond a very trifling increase in the rural vote for the Indian Legislature, which, I think, is a step in the right direction, and it will add very much to the izzat of these most gallant men in their village homes. I do not think there is any practical difficulty about the matter, because their residences are well known. I never went into a district without asking these men to meet me. I hope that this small concession may be made to a very fine body of veterans, to whom the whole Empire is 545 indebted. I know it would be very greatly valued by them, and it would be a very small tribute to the services of men who have been really the backbone of the Indian Army, and most of whom have rendered most gallant service in the late war.

§ LORD SINHA
I do not suppose any one in this House has anything but sympathy with the object with which the noble Lord has moved this Amendment, and, therefore, although I could take the objection that it really is not in order because it is not an Amendment to any of the Amendments made in the other House, I do not wish to urge that. While having every sympathy with the object of the proposed Amendment, however, I beg to point out that when, on July 15,I moved for the acceptance of the Rules as laid before the House, I pointed out that the last day on which the Government of India expected the sanction of Parliament to these Rules was the 27th—that is, to-morrow—and that, unless the Rules were sanctioned by to-morrow, they could not possibly ar- 546 range to have the Elections in November. If, therefore, any Amendment of the kind now proposed by my noble friend was accepted, it would necessitate these Rules going back to the House of Commons. We do not know when we may be able to get another day there, and whether there might not be other Amendments proposed if a day were given. In those circumstances, I regret that it is not possible for me to accept this Amendment at the present stage. I think, however, I can assure my noble friend that when the next revision of the Rules takes place—of course, under the recommendations of the Joint Committee it will be some time hence—this proposed Amendment of his will be one of the first to receive sympathetic and favourable consideration.

§ LORD SYDENHAM
I thank the noble and learned Lord for what he has said. It would be quite impossible for me to press my Amendment in the present state of the House, but I strongly protest against the hurry with which these Rules have been passed through this House, which gave no time for amendment. I beg to thank the noble Lord for the promise he has made, and I am perfectly certain it will be fulfilled.