[Letter to C Rajagopalachari]

Summary

This single-page letter, dated 5 June 1964, is from Supreme Court advocate R.V.S. Mani to C. Rajagopalachari. Mani begins by acknowledging Rajagopalachari’s tributes to Jawaharlal Nehru and his criticism of Nehru’s policies, as well as his views on Sheikh Abdullah, whom Mani says he came to regard as sincere and honest during discussions connected with the Kashmir Conspiracy Case. He presents these observations as evidence of Rajagopalachari’s broad-mindedness and charitable outlook.

The letter then turns to a proposed constitutional challenge. Mani recalls meeting Rajagopalachari in New Delhi after the Supreme Court’s 9 March 1964 judgment annulling the Madras Land Reforms (Fixation of Ceiling on Land) Act, and says Rajagopalachari had agreed to file petitions challenging the Constitution (Seventeenth Amendment) Bill if Parliament passed it. Since the Bill has now passed, Mani asks Rajagopalachari to contact Sundaram and R. Krishnaswamy Gounder of Coimbatore and arrange an immediate Supreme Court petition seeking to restrain the Government of India from obtaining the President’s assent under Article 368. He notes that Justice Sarkar is scheduled to hear the matter on 16 June and hopes an interim order can be obtained.

Key points

• The document is a dated, single-page letter from Supreme Court advocate R.V.S. Mani to C. Rajagopalachari.
• Mani praises Rajagopalachari’s critical but affectionate assessments of Jawaharlal Nehru’s policies.
• The letter references Mani’s discussions with Sheikh Abdullah during the Kashmir Conspiracy Case and his favourable assessment of Abdullah’s sincerity.
• Mani recalls Rajagopalachari’s agreement to challenge the Constitution (Seventeenth Amendment) Bill if it became law.
• After Parliament passes the Bill, Mani urges immediate action in the Supreme Court to prevent presidential assent under Article 368.
• The proposed petition concerns the constitutional validity of the amendment and seeks an interim order before a hearing scheduled for 16 June 1964.
• Mani asks Rajagopalachari to coordinate with Sundaram and R. Krishnaswamy Gounder of Coimbatore, who had helped challenge the Madras land-reform legislation.