MINUTES OF MEETING

Summary

These minutes record a meeting of the Swatantra Party Executive Committee held at 1:15 a.m. on 18 March 1966 in the Party Committee Room, Central Hall, Parliament House, New Delhi. The document lists the members present, including Prof. N. G. Ranga, M. R. Masani, Krishnapal Singh, P. H. Bheel, Sundramani Patel, P. N. Solanki, Tan Singh, Prof. Ruthnaswamy, N. Dandekar, and Sardar Kapur Singh.

The committee resolved that the party should oppose Prakash Vir Shastri’s bill to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution and support a Congress motion seeking circulation of the bill to elicit public opinion. Kapur Singh was asked to speak for the party. The minutes also assign speakers to parliamentary subjects: N. Dandekar for Commerce and Defence, P. K. Deo for Law, M. R. Masani for Information and Broadcasting, Krishnapal Singh for Defence, and Sardar Kapur Singh for Parliamentary Affairs. The meeting then adjourned with a vote of thanks to the chair.

Key points

• The Swatantra Party Executive Committee met at Parliament House, New Delhi, on 18 March 1966.
• Prof. N. G. Ranga chaired the meeting.
• The committee opposed Prakash Vir Shastri’s bill to abrogate Article 370.
• The party supported circulation of the bill for public discussion and opinion.
• Sardar Kapur Singh was requested to speak on behalf of the party.
• Members were assigned speaking responsibilities on Commerce, Law, Information and Broadcasting, Defence, and Parliamentary Affairs.
• P. N. Solanki signed the minutes as Secretary.