Yes, Sir, The first part says, “Subject to any Act of the appropriate Legislature.” But, the second part says, “as the case may be, and to the purchase or acquisition of property for those purposes respectively, and to the making of contracts.” We should lay down specifically in the article that the right to make contracts should be subject to the right of Parliament or the appropriate Legislature to rescind it. Otherwise, I am afraid the some Ministry, either in the State or at the Centre may enter into some undesirable contract: and Parliament or the Legislature therefore should be invested with the power to rescind it. The article only says, ‘subject to any Act’. I do not know whether Act means any Act already on the Statute Book or any subsequent right of the Legislature to rescind. I want this right to be conferred on Parliament and Legislature specifically that both of them have got the power to rescind any contract that may be entered into by the executive at the Centre or in the States with regard to any property. If that safeguard were not provided for in this article, I fear we might land ourselves in trouble. I therefore think that clarification is necessary on this point to the effect that Parliament or the Legislature in the State has not merely the right to lay down the provisions with regard to disposition of property in various ways, and making of contracts but also has got the right to rescind any such contract made by a State or the Union.
