Petitions
The Northern India Mercantile Chamber of Commerce
14 April 1948.
This is a petition dated April 14, 1948, from the Northern India Mercantile Chamber of Commerce to the Constituent Assembly of India, advocating for dedicated representation of commercial and industrial interests in the Union and Provincial Legislatures.
The Chamber expressed concern that the Drafting Committee had reversed an earlier Constituent Assembly decision to provide representation for commerce and industry in the Upper House. They disagreed with Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s argument that adult suffrage would ensure adequate representation, contending that business representatives would struggle to win election in general constituencies, unlike labor representatives.
The petition argued that expert knowledge from commerce and industry was essential for legislative decision-making on economic and financial matters, particularly during a period of fundamental economic restructuring. The Chamber emphasized that government cooperation with industrialists and businessmen was necessary to boost production, control inflation, and raise living standards.
They noted that few people outside the business community understood trade and industry problems in India, unlike in foreign countries where these sectors had greater prominence in national consciousness. The Chamber requested that representation be provided through functional constituency elections rather than presidential nomination, hoping the Constituent Assembly would reconsider when finalizing the Constitution in May.
The petition reflects business community concerns about being excluded from direct legislative representation in independent India’s new constitutional framework.
TELEGRAM :
“Chamber”
The Northern India Mercantile Chamber of Commerce
Carlton Hotel,
Lucknow
14th April, 1948
PRESIDENT :
Mr Krishan Deva,
B.A., LL.B.
The Hon’ble President,
Constituent Assembly of India,
NEW DELHI
Sir,
I am directed by the Committee of the Northern India Mercantile Chamber of Commerce to convey their views on the subject of representation of commercial and industrial interests in the Union and the Provincial Legislatures.
1. At the time of the consideration of the Report of the Union Constitution Committee, the Constituent Assembly decided to accord representation to commerce and industry in the Upper House of the Union Parliament. It however did not concede the principle of functional representation in the lower house.
2. My Committee regret to note that the Drafting Committee has ignored the decision of the Constituent Assembly and abolished representation to commercial and industrial interests from the Union and the Provincial Legislatures. The Secretary of the Committee, Hon’ble Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in a letter addressed to you, forwarding the Draft Constitution, observed that representation to commerce, industry and labour was not necessary in view of the fact that they were certain to be adequately represented in the elected element of the Union Parliament owing to adult suffrage. Although under the Draft Constitution labour may be able to secure adequate representation on the basis of adult suffrage, my Committee feel that it would almost be impossible for the representatives of commerce and industry to get themselves elected from the general constituency. It is therefore felt that unless Articles 67 and 150 of the Draft Constitution are suitably amended, the Legislatures may be deprived of the expert knowledge of the representatives of industry and commerce on economic and financial matters at a time when fundamental decisions affecting the economic structure of the country are being taken.
3. There is a unanimity of opinion at present that in order to step up production with a view to check the inflationary spiral and raise the standard of living of the people the Government should seek the cooperation of the industrialists and businessmen in the matter of industrial, taxation and commercial policies. Such cooperation would be readily forthcoming if industrial and commercial interests are given adequate representation in the Legislatures. The Committee apprehend that in the absence of direct representation, the views of the Chambers[unclear] of Commerce[unclear] would the views of the commercial bodies would not receive that consideration which they deserve; even at present there are considerable misgivings among the Chambers of Commerce on this point.
4. Besides, representation to commercial and industrial interests may be necessary in view of the fact that there are very few people outside those engaged in trade and industry in India[unclear] who are conversant with the problems of commerce and industry. In the foreign countries trade and industry occupy a much more important place in national economy and the common man possesses a more intimate knowledge of their problems,[unclear] than in this country.
5. It is therefore urged that the Constituent Assembly should provide foradequaterepresentation in the Constitution when it comes to be finally adopted in May on the basis of its previous decision; and the number of seats thus allotted should be filled up by election from the panels or constituencies on a functional basis and not by the proeedure of nomination by the President as laid down in the Draft Constitution. The Committee hope and trust that the Constituent Assembly would be pleased to consider their views and grant representation to commerce and industry andin the Union and the Provincial Legislatures
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
Secretary
(Notes:
1.Certain content in the document was unclear or incompletely written. The same has been marked as [unclear].
2.Typographical errors in the original document have been retained to ensure authentic reproduction of the original document.)