Mr. Santhanam in his amendment has proposed a number of detailed measures which the President could take after receiving the report of the Governor. Now it is difficult for me to accept all the details of the measures that he has suggested in his amendment. For instance, he suggests that these powers should include suspension of the provincial constitution by the President, promulgation of ordinances applicable to the province and thirdly, issuing of orders and, instructions to the Governor and other officials of the province. A Governor takes some action. It may be right or it may be wrong. If it is right, it might deserve to be extended beyond the two weeks for which that action could normally be in force. If it is wrong, the President has powers under the clause already carried in connection with the Provincial Constitution to revoke the proclamation of the Governor. And then the President will have to take action on his own which he considers appropriate for tackling the particular emergency. Whether the powers that we should vest in the President should be so all-comprehensive as Mr. Santhanam has suggested is a matter which, I think requires very serious consideration. It makes a breach into Provincial autonomy which many of us may not be willing to agree to but it is necessary that the President should have such power as may be essential for the purpose of tackling particular situation. If Mr. Santhanam will permit those who will frame the text of the Constitution to examine this provision both in substance and in language more carefully and propose something for the consideration of the Constituent Assembly which would co-ordinate the action of the Governor in the Province and the action that the President may have to take on the report of the Governor, I am prepared to accept the principle of vesting in the President certain emergency powers in this connection.
