One point I should refer to in the amendment proposed by Mr. Pattani. That provides for consultation with an acceding maritime State before any area in it is declared to be a major port. That consultation, as I have said in connection with the other items, will be a matter of routine in the future. I can understand Mr. Pattani’s point that in the past certain things have been done which did not quite meet the legitimate wishes of particular Indian States which come under this description. I can well understand it. In the past, Indian States stood aloof constitutionally from the Centre. The question of major ports was one for the Government of India. Those States were, not in direct touch with the Government of India and had to negotiate through the Crown Representative’s Department. That was not always a healthy method of getting these questions settled to the satisfaction of both the Centre and of the State concerned. In the future, the States that have acceded to the Federation will become part of the Federation and, just as in the case of provinces previous consultation will take place before any area is declared to be a major port the same consultation will take place with the Units which are Indian states. There is also the fact that these Indian States will have representatives at the centre. I am sure there will be representatives in the Legislature and I am sure in the Government there will be some persons who will be there because of their connection with and experience of Indian States. Therefore, Sir what perhaps had happened in the past, Mr. Pattani may take for granted, will not necessarily happen in the future. If it does he has the means of pulling up the Federal Government in matters of this kind and seeing that that sort of thing is prevented.
