Minutes of the Meeting

Summary

Dated December 11, 1968, this one-page memorandum from the Swatantra Party Parliamentary Office records a meeting of the party’s Executive Committee in the Party Committee Room, Central Hall, Parliament House, New Delhi. C.C. Desai chaired the meeting, and the minutes list five members present. The document assigns speakers to parliamentary agenda items including the Customs (Amendment) Bill, a motion by Prakash Vir Shastri concerning tension on India’s borders, the Essential Services (Maintenance) Bill, supplementary demands for grants, railway demands, steel transactions, and the constitutional amendment concerning Assam reorganisation.

The minutes also record two decisions or follow-up actions: members agreed that the party should vote abstain when the Essential Services (Maintenance) Bill came to a vote, and a speaker’s reply concerning referral of the Members Salaries Allowances matter to a quasi-judicial commission was read out. Prof. H. R. (?) is requested to speak on Shri Nath Pai’s bill concerning Fundamental Rights. The page is an internal organisational record rather than a developed policy argument; its principal significance lies in documenting the Swatantra Party’s parliamentary coordination and positions on bills and motions before the House.

Key points

• The Swatantra Party Executive Committee met on December 11, 1968, at Parliament House in New Delhi.
• C.C. Desai chaired the meeting and signed the minutes as Secretary.
• The document assigns party members to speak on customs, border tensions, essential services, grants, railway demands, steel transactions, and Assam reorganisation.
• The party decided to abstain when the Essential Services (Maintenance) Bill was put to a vote.
• A reply concerning referral of Members Salaries Allowances to a quasi-judicial commission was read to the meeting.
• A speaker was requested to address Shri Nath Pai’s bill concerning Fundamental Rights.