INDIA REPORT

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21329, 23 November 1934, Page 13

INDIA REPORT

Many Far-Reaching \ Recommendations FEDERATION OF 'ALL-INDIA' ■IMPORTANT RESERVED POWERS !i3ii!sß '.->rr:i'ai wi rumcst.) (Ecceived No\ ember 22, 5.5 p.m.) RUGBY, November 21. That an all-India Federation built 1! P ol self-governing units should be substituted for the present centralised Government is recommended by the Parliamentary Select Joint Committee on Indian Constitutional Reform, whose report is published to-day. Eleven British and Indian provinces, two of them new ones, would be linked in a federal system with the Indian states, who would then enter the Federation by the voluntary act of their rulers. No change is contemplated in the 'internal regime of states, nor in the relationship between their rulers and the Crown outside the Federal : sphere, but it is proposed that the I provinces should manage their own ' affairs to a greater extent than at present. A great majority of the departments of government which affect . individuals from day to day, among : them those dealing with law and ! order, as well as certain items of revenue, such as land taxes, would be the business of the provinces. The Federation would deal with such matters as currency and tariffs, which concern India as a whole, and are two questions of great importance to the Governor-General as they are at present. Elected Assemblies Each ot the provinces would have an elected Legislative Assembly chosen by the direct vote of the electorate, which. together, would Amount to about 14 per cent, of the population, and in five provinces there would be an Upper as well as a Lower House. The Federation itself would have an Upper and a Lower House, com- J posed of members indirectly elected j by the provinces and representatives nominated by the states. In all As- . temblies, Federal and Provincial, a I uuota of seals would be ensured the ] various minorities. j The report foresees that boil) at' the Federal centre and in the pro- j vinces governments would be-j formed of Ministers responsible to i their legislatures, in mucn the samel wnse in which the Cabinet in the I United Kingdom is responsible i\> ■ Parliament. ! The report further recommends; that the Governor-General and Gov- j ernors, who would be the heads of I the Federal Government and Pro- j vincial Governments, respectively, should be guided by the advice of their Ministers si; long as they are •■■atisfied that to do so does not contact with certain special responsibilities imposed on them under the constitution. These special responsibilities include such duties as the prevention of a grave menace lo j peace and tranquillity, the safe-i guarding of financial 'stability, and. | in the case of the Governor-Gen- j rral, the safe-guarding nf the conn-! try's financial stability and credit, j The committee devotes special at- j ♦ention to flic problem of terrorism ! and makes new recommendations' fn the subject. j Parliamentary Government j The general political c-ITcci of the : rnmmiUee's proposals would thus be that in. the provinces and with cer- 1 tain reservation.--; at the UedovaJ centre, there would be ; , ; V :,l'-m of I Parliamentary gnvr-j-umf ni . xrr-pt < circunislriMces called for the i exercise "I the overriding power'; ' of the Governor-General or Gov- ' srnor. i

The report, discusses m some detail a number of impoi (ant questions which arise from the const ikiticuiai proposals. The commit toe advocate: that recruitment in Great Britain 'or the Indian civil and police, services should continue, and that, .service rights should be reserved. Steer, are proposed to protect the discipline of the police and the independence of the judiciary from the effects <>' political influences.

A safeguard is introduced against I ne fiscal freedom of India being Used deliberately to damage British trade with India by means of penal '■ariffs. Finally the report recommends that Burma should be sepaI'ated from India, and should il&eli leceivc a similar constitution. The proceedings of the commilt.ee jliow that, the report, was endorsed oy a large majority 0 f its M memj? e rs. On the final division the onlv nissentients were three Conservative and o ne .i,;;b ou ,- p r . cl -, v ,.j ln - three •-'abour and two Conservative mem°cr:j of the llohm., of Commons.

Committee's Kccommeiulalions m some important respects the Proposals of the White Paper are modified or supplemented in the recommendations of the- Joint Committee. V 1 relation to law and order, ad"'tinnal recommendations provide. * lr st, that the consent of a Governor, given at his discretion, should oe required to anv legislation afTect"2 police acts and to anv rules made '"der them a fleet in « tiie or«anisa"on or discipline of the police; •■"Wond. Iho records of the JntolliSoriCf. Depai-linenf re Infirm lo leroj'isrn should not. be disclosed cuts,fP the nohce force, ~,; r cpt p, Klir!l nfli , ( , :i ;ls ~ f .„.,;,.,„„. Infl .. r oct; third, thai f,,.- f|, r ,„irpos" 0f combat ifjc. len-nrirn, ;i Govornor flOUld 1, 3 V (. | ,„, V( . | . ,„ ~,,.„ , |||( | n . h j;, nnv branch of tbe CJovcrnv/hirh .1 is n.ressnry to use lor the purpose. Anions .-cvera! other modifications recommended hv ihe Joint Q.mmi'.are the followint; provisions: , Jl ">at the Governor-General should vp V f/I s P Qck,] responsibilitv to provent the imposition of penal tariffs £". Soods imported from the United *\l h ?} l i K " h'gislalures in India after Ifj vears have a eonsli!«>pna] rich* to present addresses ;,'' me rons.cleralio-i of his Maiestv's ;md Parliament recomfcifli! ? al "ondmenf.s to the consticertain, specified, matters,,

tures and the franchise. That the separation of Burma from India should be accompanied by a trade agreement between the two countries to be binding for a .specified time. With the publication of the report the final stage of the process of consultation and enquiry whicn has extended over six years is reached. It now remains for the Government and Parliament to conil'eo's repot 1 ne of -127 p;, it is pumiKiieci a \ reporting the pr< the final voting further volume published later. of records v.-