Minutes of the Meeting

Summary

These minutes record a meeting of the Swatantra Party Parliamentary Office’s Executive Committee held on 18 March 1969 at Parliament House in New Delhi. The committee assigned party speakers to debates on ministry-wise Demands for Grants, covering portfolios ranging from Home Affairs, Industrial Development and Irrigation to Foreign Affairs, Education, Planning, Defence and Atomic Energy. The schedule lists the proposed speakers, the marks allocated to each, and the dates on which the demands were expected to come up for discussion. The minutes also allocate members to speak on the Supplementary Demands for Grants for 1968–69 and on proposed resolutions and bills concerning the Payment of Bonus and the Public Wakfs (Extension of Limitation) Amendment. The party’s budget was approved, with a recommendation that efforts be made to collect funds to cover the deficit. The rendered document is an organisational record rather than a developed statement of policy; no sustained discussion of the party’s positions on the listed ministries or legislative measures is visible here.

Key points

• The Executive Committee meeting took place on 18 March 1969 in the Party Room, Central Hall, Parliament House. Six members are listed as present, including N. G. Ranga, M. R. Masani, D. N. Patodia, C. C. Desai, N. K. Somani and R. K. Amin. Party members were assigned speaking responsibilities for Demands for Grants across 22 ministries and departments. The schedule records both the marks assigned to individual speakers and the dates when debates were expected. M. R. Masani was assigned the Supplementary Demands for Grants for 1968–69. D. N. Patodia and J. Mohd. Imam were assigned debate items concerning the Payment of Bonus and Public Wakfs amendment measures.
• The party budget was approved, alongside a recommendation to raise money to make up its deficit.