Rangachariar's amendments

Diwan Bahadur Rangachariar has given notice of some important amendments to Vithalbhai Patel’s Bill in the Central Legislative Assembly. Of the three deportation regulations, he would retain only the first, and that, too, in a substantially modified form. He would so change its preamble as to confine its operation to (1) the due maintenance of alliances formed by the British Government with foreign powers; (2) the preservation of tranquillity within the territories of Indian Princes entitled to its protection and the security of British dominions from foreign hostility; and (3) ensuring security against internal commotion in the frontier districts only. Further, he would urge the deletion of the section relating to confiscation of property and introduce a new provision enabling the High Court to call for records in order to satisfy itself that any individual placed under personal restraint within its jurisdiction has been so placed for reasons stated in the preamble to the regulation and, in case the High Court is satisfied, to order such detention to cease. Rangachariar, like Patel, would entirely repeal the Seditious Meetings Act. There is no doubt that the Rangachariar amendments would bring the repealing Bill in line with the recommendations of the Repressive Laws Committee. But equally undoubtedly, it is a compromise between the official and unofficial views. To retain Regulation III of 1818 in any form at all would be to leave a power in the hands of the Executive, which is sure to stretch it to the fullest extent. We are particularly suspicious of the provision authorising the application of the regulation for the purpose of preserving tranquillity within the territories of Indian Princes.