I believe, that of all the provinces in our country, only three, namely, Central Provinces and Berar, Assam and Orissa have voted against the creation of a second chamber in their provinces. The other provinces, I think, have asked for a second chamber. Now, this article which has been brought before us by Dr. Ambedkar seeks to provide for the creation of a second chamber where there is none, of course, if the Assembly of that State decided upon such a course. I personally feel that to this extent this is a reactionary, a retrograde proposal. To provide for the creation of a second chamber where there is none already seems to me to be by no means a progressive measure. We are proud of asserting that ours is a democratic progressive State. We are now living in the twentieth century when powers of second chambers have been drastically curtailed, where they have not been completely abolished. Even in Great Britain, from whose Constitution we have borrowed so much, the wings of the House of Lords have been clipped to a considerable degree, and the House of Lords today is not what it was twenty or thirty years ago. Here, Dr. Ambedkar wants this House to pass this article which provides that the future Parliament may provide for the creation of a second chamber where there is none. I agree with him in so far as Parliament is empowered to abolish the second chamber where there is already one; but I cannot subscribe to this proposal of his that where there is no second chamber, you might as well create one.
