[Letter to Mr Minoo Masani]

Summary

In this handwritten letter dated 24 August 1974, M. A. Sreenivasan writes to Minoo Masani about the constitutional position of the Swatantra Party. He notes that the party constitution contains no provision for dissolution or merger with another political party and asks whether Piloo Mody’s proposal can therefore be considered “ultra vires” of the constitution.

Sreenivasan suggests that the relevant constitutional arrangement may preserve the “status quo,” and asks Masani for his legal and political opinion. The surviving item consists of the handwritten letter on page 1 and its addressed inland-letter-card exterior on page 2; the latter supplies postal and addressing information rather than additional argument.

Key points

• The letter is dated 24 August 1974 and addressed to Minoo Masani.
• Sreenivasan discusses the constitution of the Swatantra Party.
• He states that the constitution contains no provision for dissolution or merger with another political party.
• He asks whether Piloo Mody’s proposal is “ultra vires” of the constitution.
• He refers to preserving the constitutional “status quo.”
• The letter requests Masani’s opinion on the matter.