Minutes of the Meeting

Summary

This three-page memorandum records the Swatantra Party Parliamentary Office General Body meeting held in Parliament House on 30 June 1967, with Prof. N. G. Ranga in the chair. The minutes note the Leader’s regret that some members would be unable to speak during the session because parliamentary demands might be guillotined, and commend new members for their performance in the House. They then document the party’s position on parliamentary consultative committees, recommending statutory committees for major ministries and proportional representation for the remaining committees. Members were advised to boycott committees if the minimum demands were rejected by the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, while railway zonal committees were explicitly excluded from this position.

The minutes also address party administration and parliamentary coordination. They record objections to members’ absence from Executive meetings, dissatisfaction with seating arrangements, proposals for senior leaders to brief newer members, and the creation of a sub-committee comprising Mr. Mody, Mr. Patodia, and Prof. R. K. Amin to instruct the Executive Secretary on preparing daily briefs. The final discussion concerns whether to boycott a Select Committee examining the Nath Pai Bill on Fundamental Rights. Although some members argued that participation could influence other members and permit dissent to be recorded, the meeting reaffirmed the earlier decision to boycott the committee.

Key points

• The General Body meeting took place on 30 June 1967 at Parliament House and was chaired by Prof. N. G. Ranga.
• The Leader welcomed new members but regretted that some members might lose speaking opportunities because demands were likely to be guillotined.
• The party supported statutory committees for Defence, Commerce, Industry, and Works and Housing, with consultative committees for other ministries.
• Members favoured proportional representation on committees and contemplated boycotts if the party’s minimum demands were rejected.
• The minutes distinguish railway zonal committees from the consultative committees covered by the boycott proposal.
• The party sought stronger internal briefing arrangements, including daily instructions and prepared briefs for members.
• The meeting reaffirmed a boycott of the Select Committee examining the Nath Pai Bill concerning Fundamental Rights.