MINUTES OF MEETING

Summary

This single-page set of minutes records a Swatantra Party parliamentary meeting held on April 13, 1964, at Parliament House in New Delhi. The record lists seven attendees and sets out the party’s immediate parliamentary strategy concerning the Members’ Salaries and Allowances Bill and the Finance Bill.

The members agreed to abstain and remain absent during discussion of the salaries and allowances bill, allocate committee votes between the DMK and Jan Sangh in exchange for support, designate M. R. Masani as the party’s sole speaker during the general discussion of the Finance Bill, and oppose that bill at the consideration stage. The minutes also call for an Executive Committee meeting to consider amendments and party strategy, and an informal meeting to discuss Kashmir and Pakistan. The document is signed by Kapur Singh, Secretary.

Key points

• The meeting took place on April 13, 1964, in the Committee Room of Central Hall, Parliament House.
• Seven party members are listed as present, including Prof. N. G. Ranga and M. R. Masani.
• Members agreed to abstain and remain absent when the Members’ Salaries and Allowances Bill came up for discussion.
• The party planned to exchange committee votes with the DMK and Jan Sangh for support for its candidate for the Public Undertakings Committee.
• M. R. Masani was designated the party’s only speaker during general discussion of the Finance Bill.
• The party resolved to oppose the Finance Bill as a whole and divide the House at the consideration stage.
• Further meetings were planned on amendments, party strategy, and the situation in Kashmir and Pakistan.