DRAFT MINUTES OF THE ADJOURNED GENERAL COUNCIL MEETING HELD AT THE WEST END HOTEL, BANGALORE ON FEBRUARY 1, 1964, AT 9.30 A.M.

Summary

These draft minutes record the adjourned General Council meeting of the Swatantra Party, held at the West End Hotel in Bangalore on February 1, 1964, with Prof. M. G. Ranga in the chair. The first two pages list a large body of state representatives and special invitees, followed by the Council’s consideration of amendments to the Party Constitution proposed by the Central Organising Committee.

The substantive resolutions concern the character of Party membership, constitutional revision, and organisational elections. After prolonged discussion, the Council voted by 47 votes to 6 for active, selective, or cadre membership rather than a mass-membership model. It recommended amendments to constitutional clauses 4, 5, and 6 for adoption by the National Convention, called for consequential changes elsewhere in the Constitution, and set July 31, 1964, as the closing date for enrolling workers under the amended Constitution. The Council also requested expedited elections to Party committees from constituency to national level. Of the additional resolutions submitted by delegates, all but one were withdrawn; the surviving proposal, by Mr. Lobo Prabhu, concerned changing the Republic’s form of government from parliamentary to presidential and was referred to the Central Organising Committee.

Key points

• The document is a three-page draft record of the Swatantra Party’s adjourned General Council meeting in Bangalore on February 1, 1964.
• Prof. M. G. Ranga chaired the meeting, which included representatives from numerous Indian states and special invitees.
• The Council considered amendments to the Party Constitution recommended by the Central Organising Committee.
• A vote of 47 to 6 favoured active, selective, or cadre membership over a mass-membership structure.
• Amendments to constitutional clauses 4, 5, and 6 were recommended for adoption by the National Convention.
• The Council set July 31, 1964, as the deadline for enrolling workers under the amended Constitution.
• The Council called for elections to Party committees from the constituency level through the national level.
• A proposal by Mr. Lobo Prabhu to replace parliamentary government with a presidential form was referred to the Central Organising Committee; the meeting then terminated.