Now, the amendment of Dr. Ambedkar is a move in the right direction, though I feel that it does not go far enough. It at least takes away one defect, viz., the amount or value of the subject-matter becomes a matter of constitutional provision under article 111 as it stands. It takes away that defect in that article. But I feel that the whole of that article should continue to be under the general jurisdiction of the future Parliament of India and there is no reason why you should fetter the discretion of Parliament in regard to the class of appealable cases. That is my feeling in the matter but I feel however that half a loaf is better than no bread. Therefore in as much as Dr. Ambedkar is willing to yield so far as clause (a) is concerned that is good enough, though I wish he had gone further and made all the provisions subject to the intervention of the future Parliament of India. Much as we owe to the British system of administration of justice, I am one of those who feel that there is considerable room for improvement by making it more elastic and flexible to suit the economic conditions of India. Gradation of appeals no doubt is a normal feature of English jurisprudence in England which is a very rich country with a population of forty millions and which has greater wealth than this poor country of three hundred millions. While, justice must be guaranteed to every individual, while every individual, while every individual must get a fair and proper trial, the gradation of appeals is not a necessary sine qua non for the proper administration of justice. If there is anything radically wrong, by all means let the highest court in the land interfere. But there is no reason why, for example, in the provinces of India collegiate courts should not be established and, the intervention of the High Court diminished and the Supreme Court made merely a court of ultimate appeal in these matters to see that errors are set right. But I do not want all that reform to be introduced immediately. What I would desire is that while perpetuating the existing provisions for appeal they may be made subject to the intervention of Parliament, so that if a special committee is appointed and goes into the whole question of the system of administration of justice, all necessary reform may be introduced into the legal system in this country.
