Representation of People Bill adopted

As the Election Commission turns 75, HT's report on Parliament adopting a key bill in 1950 to kick-start the electoral process

- HT Correspondent

NEW DELHI: During its final sitting on April 3, 1950 — one of the stormiest in the 11-week Budget session — Parliament passed the Representation of the People Bill, 1950, which prescribes the strength of the House of the People, state legislatures and upper chambers in States.

The bill also provides for the preparation of electoral rolls, delimitation of constituencies and qualifications of voters. One of the important amendments accepted raises the strength of the House of the People from 488, as originally prescribed, to 496, on the basis of one representative for 720,000 people.

Despite an agreement reached on most of the controversial points among members at an informal meeting in the morning, a vigorous debate took place on certain clauses, particularly on delimitation of parliamentary constituencies.

When Parliament met in the afternoon to pass the contentious Representation of the People Bill, 1950, Dr Ambedkar, amidst cheers, said that the informal meeting of the members of Parliament held in the morning at the suggestion of the Speaker unanimously accepted certain amendments to the bill. He hoped that there would be no further controversy or debate on the subject.