[Swatantra Party Minutes of Meeting]

Summary

This two-page internal record from the Swatantra Party Parliamentary Office documents a party meeting held on Monday, 27 April 1964, in the Central Hall committee room of Parliament House. Prof. N. G. Ranga chaired the meeting, which was attended by thirteen party members and recorded by Kapur Singh, the secretary. The minutes focus on the party’s parliamentary strategy regarding the Constitution (Seventeenth Amendment) Bill, the Constitution (Eighteenth Amendment) Bill, and elections to parliamentary committees.

The record states that although the party opposed the Seventeenth Amendment Bill as a whole, it would support amendments tabled by Dr. Singhvi and Shri Kashi Ram Gupta, with the House to be divided at the second and third readings and on all clauses and amendments. The party strongly opposed the Eighteenth Amendment Bill on the ground that it would trespass on civil liberty; Shri Masani was designated to initiate the debate and S. Kapur Singh to represent the party on a possible Select Committee. The meeting also settled voting preferences and discussed the party’s Rajya Sabha nominee for the Public Undertakings Committee.

Key points

• The meeting took place on 27 April 1964 at Parliament House and was chaired by Prof. N. G. Ranga.
• The Swatantra Party decided to support specified amendments to the Constitution Seventeenth Amendment Bill despite opposing the Bill as a whole.
• The party opposed the Constitution Eighteenth Amendment Bill as an infringement of civil liberty.
• Shri Masani was assigned to initiate the party’s discussion of the Eighteenth Amendment Bill.
• S. Kapur Singh was nominated to represent the party on a possible Select Committee concerning that Bill.
• Members agreed on second-preference votes for committee elections involving the DMK and Jan Sangh.
• The party discussed whether Shri Dahyabhai V. Patel or another Rajya Sabha member should represent it on the Public Undertakings Committee.