Source: https://cadindia.clpr.org.in/constitution_assembly_debates/volume/1/1946-12-09
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 08:54:02+00:00

Document:
Friends, at this auspicious occasion of historical importance I invite, on your behalf, Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha to be the temporary Chairman of this Assembly. Dr. Sinha needs no introduction. You all know him. He is not only the oldest among us but also the oldest parliamentarian in India, having served, as you know, as a member of the Imperial Legislative Council from 1910 to 1920. He entered the Central Legislative Assembly in 1921 not only as one of its members, but its Deputy President also. He was then entrusted with the portfolio of an Executive Councillor and Finance Member of the Government of Bihar and Orissa. So far as I remember Dr. Sinha was the first Indian who was ever appointed as a Finance Member of a Province. He has a particular taste for education having been Vice-Chancellor of the Patna University for eight years. Over and above all this, Dr. Sinha is the oldest Congressman among us. Up till 1920 he was a member of the Congress, being at one time its Secretary.
After the year 1920 when we started on a new way to gain freedom he parted company with us. He, however, never wholly left us. He has always been helping us. He never joined any other organization and his sympathies were ever with us. Such a person is entitled to be the temporary Chairman of this Assembly. His work is brief but it is all the same most important. It is inaugurating the proceeding of this House. As we begin every work with Divine blessings we request Dr. Sinha to invoke these blessings so that our work may proceed smoothly. Now, I once more, on your behalf, call upon Dr. Sinha to take the Chair.
With the approach of December 9, I extend to you as Provisional Chairman of the Constituent Assembly, and through you to the Indian people, the sincere good wishes of the United States Government and of the people of the United States for a successful conclusion of the great task you are about to undertake. India has a great contribution to make to the peace, stability, and cultural advancement of mankind, and your deliberations will be watched with deep interest and hope by freedom loving people throughout the entire world.'" (Cheers).
The next message is from the Embassy of the Republic of China - New Delhi.
The next thing which I have to bring to the notice of the House is that I have received an election petition from Khan Abdus Samad Khan of British Baluchistan challenging the validity of the election of Nawab Mohammad Khan Jogazai as a member of the Constituent Assembly representing British Baluchistan. The House will doubtless look into this matter, in due course, after the election of the permanent Chairman. But my ruling at this stage is that the gentleman declared elected will continue to be regarded as a Member of this House until the matter is disposed of, at a later stage, by the House, after the election of the permanent Chairman.
The next item on the agenda is the provisional Chairman's inaugural address. I will do my best to read out the whole of the address, but if I feel the strain too much, you will kindly permit me to hand over the typescript to Sir B. N. Rau, who has very kindly undertaken to read it for me. But I hope there will be no occasion for it.
"Its central or national- is not a mere league for it does not wholly depend on the component communities which we call the States. It is itself a Commonwealth, as well as a union of Commonwealths, because it claims directly the obedience of every citizen, and acts immediately upon him through its courts and executive officers. Still less are the minor communities, the States, mere sub-divisions of the Union, mere creatures of the National Government, like the counties of England, or the Departments of France. They have over their citizens an authority which is their own, and not delegated by the Central Government."
Hon'ble Members, my prayer is that the Constitution that you are going to plan may similarly be reared for 'Immortality', if the work of man may justly aspire to such a title, and it may be a structure of 'adamantine strength’, which will outlast and overcome all present and future destructive forces.
"The Congress stands for a genuine democratic State in India where political power has been transferred to the people, as a whole, and the Government is under their effective control. Such a State can only come into existence through a Constituent Assembly having the power to determine finally the constitution of the country."
But until the adoption of the resolution on Pakistan, in March 1940, by the Muslim League, that political organization had not favoured the idea of a Constituent Assembly as a proper and suitable method for framing a constitution for this country. After the adoption of that resolution, however, the attitude of the Muslim League seems to have undergone a change in favour of the idea of a Constituent Assembly-one for the areas claimed by the League for a separate Muslim State, and the other for the rest of India. Thus it may be stated that the idea of a Constituent Assembly, as the only direct means for the framing of a constitution in this country, came to be entertained and accepted by the two major political parties in 1940, with this difference that while the Congress desired one Constituent Assembly for India, as a whole, the Muslim League wanted two Constituent Assemblies, in accordance with its demand for two separate States in the country. Anyway, whether one or two, the idea of a Constituent Assembly being the proper method for the framing of a constitution had clearly dawned by that time on public consciousness in the country, and it was with reference to that great mental upheaval that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru declared that "it means a nation on the move, fashioning for itself a new Government of its own making, through their elected representatives".
I have a proposal to make to you on purely personal grounds, and I hope You will kindly approve of it. For many years past, under medical advice, I have not been able to do any work in the afternoons, and I do not propose to sit after the luncheon recess. So for the time I am temporary Chairman, while the House is going on with the presentation of credentials and the signing of the register in the afternoon, I propose to request the House to give me the assistance of a Deputy Chairman, and I propose that Mr. Frank Anthony be nominated by you. (After a pause). I declare the motion carried.
Next, I am informed that a member of our Constituent Assembly, who had been duly elected, had passed away, Mr. Prasanna Deb Raikut from Bengal, and I desire on behalf of the Constituent Assembly to convey our condolence to his relations. I think I may take it as carried.
Now I think we shall start the formal business which is the presentation of credentials and the signing of the Register. I will present my credentials to myself. Though Hon'ble Members must pass through certain formalities, I have cut out from the procedure the coming of members to the platform to shake hands with the Chairman after signing the Register. We tested this matter yesterday, and found that it would take about a minute and a half, if not two minutes, if after signing his name each member were to ascend this platform by the circuitous route, and shake hands with the Chairman, and then return to this seat. So, I have thought that that formality may be dispensed with. The Secretary will now call out the names of Hon'ble Members, who will come up, present to him their credentials, sign the Register, and go back to their seats.
1. The Hon'ble Sri C. Rajagopalachari.
2. Dr. B. Pattabhi Sitaramayya.
3. The Hon'ble Sri T. Prakasam.
4. The Hon'ble Dewan Bahadur Sir N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar.
5. Diwan Bahadur Sir Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar.
6. Shrimati Ammu Swaminathan, M.L.A. (Central).
7. Mr. S. H. Prater, O.B.E., J.P., C.M.Z.S., M.L.A. (Bombay).
10. Sri M. Ananthasayanam Ayyangar, M.L.A. (Central).
11. Professor N. G. Ranga, M.L.A. (Central).
12. Sri T. A. Ramalingam Chettiyar, M.L.A. (Central).
13. Sri K. Kamaraja Nadar, M.L.A.
14. Sri K. Madhava Menon, M.L.C.
15. Sri B. Shiva Rao.
17. Sri T. T. Krishnamachari.
18. Sri B. Gopala Reddi, M.L.A.
19. Shrimati Dakshayani Velayudan, M.L.C. (Cochin).
20. Sri V. I. Muniswami Pillai, M.L.A.
21. Sri K. Chandramouli, M.L.A.
22. Sri D. Govinda Doss, M,.L.A.
23. Rev. Jerome D'Souza, S.J.
25. Sri H. Sitarama Reddi, M.L.A.
26. Sri U. Srinivasa Mallayya.
27. Sri Kala Venkata Rao, M.L.A.
30. Sri P. Kakkan, M.L.A.
31. Sri N. Sanjeeva Reddi, M.L.A.
32. Sri O. P. Ramaswami Reddiyar, M.L.C.
33. Sri C. Perumalswami Reddi, M.L.C.
34. Sri M. C. Veerabahu Pillai.
35. Mr. T. J. M. Wilson, M.L.A.
36. Sri P. L. Narasimha Raju, M.L.A.
37. Sri S. Nagappa, M.L.A.
38. Sri L. Krishnaswami Bharathi.
39. Sri O. V. Alagesan.
40. Sri V. C. Kesava Rao.
43. Sri V. Nadimuthu Pillai.
1. The Hon'ble Sardar Vallabhbhai J. Patel.
2. The Hon'ble Mr. B. G. Kher.
3. The Rt. Hon'ble Dr. M. R. Jayakar, P.C.
4. Mr. K M. Munshi.
5. Mr. Shankar Dattatraya Deo.
6. Mr. Narhar Vishnu Gadgil.
7. Mr. S. K. Patil.
8. Mrs. Hansa Mehta, M.L.C.
9. Dr. Joseph Alban D'Souza, M.L.A.
11. Mr. R. M. Nalavade. M.L.A.
12. Mr. B. M. Gupta, M.L.A.
15. Mr. S. N. Mane, M.L.A.
16. Mr. Khandubhai Kasanji Desai.
17. Mr. H. V. Pataskar, M.L.A.
18. Mr. Kanayalal Nanabhai Desai, M.L.A.
19. Mr. K. M. Jedhe.
1. Mr. Sarat Chandra Bose.
2. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.
3. Mr. Kiran Shankar Roy, M.L.A.
5. Mr. Satya Ranjan Baksi.
6. Dr. Prafulla Chandra Ghosh.
7. Sir Uday Chand Mahtab, K.C.I.E., M.L.A.
8. Dr. Suresh Chandra Banerjee, M.L.A.
9 Mr. Debi Prosad Khaitan, M.L.A.
11. Mr. Damber Singh Gurung, M.L.A.
12. Dr. Syama Prasad Mookherjee, M.L.A.
13. Mr. Ashutosh Mallick, M.L.A.
14. Mr. Radhanath Das, M.L.A.
15. Mr. Promatha Ranjan Thakur, M.L.A.
16. Mr. Hem Chandra Nasker, M.L.A.
20. Mr. Prafulla Chandra Sen.
21. Mr. J. C. Majumdar.
22. Mr. Surendra Mohan Ghose.
23. Mr. Arun Chandra Guha.
24. Mr. Dhananjoy Roy, M.L.A.
25. Mr. Dhirendra Nath Datta, M.L.A.
26. Mr. Prasanna Deb Raikut - Passed away before taking his seat in the Assembly.
1. Acharya J. B. Kripalani.
2. The Hon'ble Pt. Govind Ballabh Pant.
3. The Hon'ble Shri Purushottam Das Tandon.
4. The Hon'ble Pt. Hirday Nath Kunzru.
5. Shri Govind Malaviya, M.L.A. (Central).
6. Pt. Shri Krishna Dutt Paliwal, M.L.A. (Central).
7. Shri Mohan Lal Saksena, M.L.A. (Central).
8. Acharya Jugal Kishore, M.L.A.
9. Mrs. Purnima Banerji, M.L.A.
10. Shri Sri Prakasa, M.L.A. (Central).
13. Shri Damodar Swarup Seth, M.L.A. (Central).
14. Shri Algu Rai Shastri, M.L.A.
15. Shri Banshi Dhar Misra, M.L.A.
16. Shri Bhagwan Din, M.L.A.
17. Shri Kamlapati Tiwari, M.L.A.
19. Raja Jagannath Bakhsh Singh, M.L.A.
20. Shri Harihar Nath Shastri, M.L.A.
21. Shri Gopal Narain, M.L.A.
23. Shri Jaspat Roy Kapoor.
24. The Hon'ble Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru.
25. The Hon'ble Mr. Rafi Ahmad Kidwai.
27. Shri Dayal Das Bhagat, M.L.A.
28. Shri A. Dharam Das, M.L.A.
29. Shri Gopi Nath Srivastava.
31. Shri Ajit Prasad Jain, M.L.A.
32. Shri Ram Chandra Gupta, M.L.C.
33. Shri Pragi Lal, M.L.A.
34. Shri Phool Singh, M.L.A.
35. Shri Masuria Din, M.L.A.
36. Shri Shibban Lal Saksena.
39. Shri Har Govind Pant, M.L.A.
40. Shri R. V. Dhulekar, M.L.A.
41. Shri Vishwambhar Dayal Tripathi, M.L.A.
1. Diwan Chaman Lall, M.L.A. (Central).
3. Sardar Kartar Singh, M.L.A.
4. Sardar Ujjal Singh, M.L.A.
5. The Hon'ble Mr. Mehr Chand Khanna.
6. Sardar Pratap Singh, M.L.A.
7. Bakhshi Sir Tek Chand.
8. Sardar Prithvi Singh Azad, M.L.A.
9. Pandit Shri Ram Sharma, M.L.A.
10. Rao Bahadur Chaudhri Suraj Mal, M.L.A.
11. Dr. Gopi Chand Bhargava, M.L.A.
12. Chaudhri Harbhaj Ram, M.L.A.
1. The Hon'ble Dr. Rajendra Prasad.
4. The Hon'ble Mr. Shri Krishna Sinha.
5. Mr. Satyanarayan Sinha, M.L.A. (Central).
6. The Hon'ble Maharajadhiraja Sir Kameshwara Singh, K.C.I.E., of Darbhanga.
7. Dr. P. K. Sen.
8. The Hon'ble Mr. Anugrahnarayan Sinha.
9. Mr. Banarsi Prasad Jhunjhunwala, M.L.A. (Central).
10. The Hon'ble Rai Bahadur Sri Narain Mahtha.
11. Mr. Deshbandhu Gupta, M.L.A. (Central).
12. Mr. Ramnarayan Singh, M.L.A. (Central).
13. Mr. A. K. Ghosh, M.L.A.
14. Mr. Bhagwat Prasad, M.L.A.
15. Mr. Boniface Lakra, M.L.C.
16. Mr. Rameshwar Prasad Sinha, M.L.A.
17. Mr. Phulan Prasad Varma, M.L.A.
18. Mr. Mahesh Prasad Sinha, M.L.A.
19. Mr. Sarangdhar Sinha, M.L.A.
20. Rai Bahadur Syamanandan Sahaya, M.L.A., C.I.E.
23. Mr. Chandrika Ram, M.L.C.
24. Mr. Kamleshwari Prasad Yadav, M.L.A.
25. Mr. Jagat Narain Lall, M.L.A.
26. Mr. Jadubans Sahay, M.L.A.
27. Mr. Guptanath Singh, M.L.A.
28. Mr. Dip Narayan Sinha, M.L.A.
29. Mr. Devendra Nath Samanta, M.L.C.
30. Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha, M.L.A.
1. The Hon'ble Pt. Ravi Shankar Shukla.
2. Dr. Sir Hari Singh Gour.
3. The Hon'ble Mr. Brijlal Nandlal Biyani.
4. Mr. Rustom khurshedji Sidhwa, M.L.A.
5. Seth Govinddas, M.L.A. (Central).
7. Mr. Hari Vishnu Kamath.
8. Mr. Cecil Edward Gibbon, M.L.A.
9. Mr. Shankar Tryambak Dharmadhikar.
10. Guru Agamdas Agarmandas, M.L.A.
11. Dr. Punjabrao Shamrao Deshmukh.
12. Mr. B. A. Mandloi, M.L.A.
13. Mr. H. J. Khandekar.
14 Mr. L. S. Bhatkar, M.L.A.
1. The Hon'ble Srijut Gopinath Bardoloi.
2. The Hon'ble Rev. J. J. M. Nichols-Roy.
3. Srijut Omeo Kumar Das, M.L.A.
4 The Hon'ble Srijut Basanta Kumar Das.
5. Srijut Dharanidhar Basu Matari, M.L.A.
6. Srijut Rohini Kumar Chaudhury, M.L.A. (Central).
7. Babu Akshay Kumar Das, M.L.A.
1. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
2. Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan.
1. The Hon'ble Sri Hare-Krushna Mahtab.
4. Sri Bodhram Dube, M.L.A.
5. Sri Lakshminarayan Sahu, M.L.A.
8. Sri Raj Krushna Bose, M.L.A.
9. Sri Santanu Kuram Das, M.L.A.
It has been brought to my notice that there is no Speaker in Sind as there is no legislature there now. Under the circumstances, the Secretary of the Assembly there, has signed the credentials certificates. They may be accepted.
1. The Hon’ble Mr. M. Asaf Ali.
1. Pt. Mukut Bihari Lal Bhargava, M.L.A. (Central).
1. Mr. C. M. Poonacha, M.L.C.
If any Hon'ble Member's name has not been called through oversight, he will stand and his-name will be called out. He will then come and sign his name in the Register.
That finishes our, agenda for today. Therefore, there will be no sitting in the afternoon. The Assembly will meet tomorrow. A new agenda will be Prepared, which is not yet ready. I have asked the Constitutional Adviser's Office to circulate the agenda to Hon'ble Members, if possible by this evening, and I hope it may be done. If you so desire, the Assembly will meet at 11 A.M. or 11-30.
We shall meet at 11.
The Assembly then adjourned till Tuesday, the 10th December 1946, at 11 A.M.

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