9. अखिल भारतीय शेड्युल्ड कास्ट्स फेडरेशनची घटना

CONSTITUTION OF ALL INDIA SCHEDULED CASTES FEDERATION

The All India Depressed Class conference was held between 17th to 20th July 1942 at Nagpur. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar attended this conference. A resolution was passed unanimously on 19th July 1942 to establish “All India Scheduled Castes Federation.” ‘ All India Scheduled Castes Federation’ and the Constitution was made public on 7th September 1942* That Constitution was amended and finally published in January 1955 as under : Editors

**ALL INDIA SCHEDULED CASTES FEDERATION CONSTITUTION President:

B. R. Ambedkar, M. A., Ph. D., D. Sc, LL. D., D. Litt., Barrister-at-Law, Member, Council of States.

Address :

26, Alipore Road, Civil Lines, Delhi January 1955.

*Report of Depressed Class Conference. Nagpur Sessions. Third Session, Held on 18th, 19th and 20th July 1942, published on 7th September 1942, Annexure—No. 4, Pp. 109—121.

**Reprinted from the book printed by K. S. Arora at Thacker’s Press, Oak Lane, Fort, Bombay.

Contents Part I Constitution : The Date of its coming into force Part II Federation : Its Aims and objects .. Part III Organisation : Local .. .. Part IV Organisation : Central .. .. Part V Duties, Powers and functions of Office Holders .. ..

Part VI Relations between local organisations and the Central Executive Committee .. Part VII Finance .. ..

Part VIII Election .. ..

Part IX Election Disputes .. ..

Part X Selection of Candidates .. .. Part XI Miscellaneous .. ..

Part XII Amendment of the Constitution .. .. Part XIII Rules of discipline .. .. Part XIV Transitory provisions .. ..

PART I

Date of Coming into Force ARTICLE I

1. This Constitution may be called the CONSTITUTION OF THE ALL INDIA SCHEDULED CASTES FEDERATION.

2. It shall, except as specified in Parts IX and X come into force on the 1st of May, 1957.

PART II

Aims, Objects and Powers ARTICLE II

1. The aims and objects of the Federation are : (i) to organise the Scheduled Castes of India, to educate them and to agitate for their social, economic and political freedom and to make them strive for their well being and advancement;

(ii) to secure for them equality of opportunity and thereby enable them to achieve equal status with their fellow citizens in all walks of life ; (iii) to engage itself in organising the Peasantry, the landless labourers and the workers in factories and other wage-earners ;

(iv) to undertake educational activities such as starting of Schools and teaching them arts and crafts; (v) to undertake all activities for the moral and spiritual elevation of the Scheduled Castes: and (vi) to keep a record of all cases of tyrannies and oppressions practised upon the Scheduled Castes in different parts of the Country.

2. The Powers of the Federation are : (i) to purchase, take on lease or otherwise acquire property for the Federation and to invest and deal with the moneys of the Federation in such manner as may from time to time be determined ; (ii) to construct, maintain, rebuild, repair, alter, replace or reinstate houses, buildings, or works for the purposes of the Federation;

(iii) to sell, dispose of, improve, manage, develop, exchange, lease, mortgage or otherwise, alienate or deal with all or any property of the Federation;

(iv) to raise money with or without security for carrying out any of the purposes, aims and objects of the Federation; (v) to get the Federation registered or recognised in any pan of India; and (vi) to do all other lawful things and acts as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of any of the aforesaid aims and objects.

PART III

Organisation : Local ARTICLE III I Local Organisation :

1. For the purpose of organising the Scheduled Castes under the All-India Scheduled Castes Federation there shall be constituted the following local organisation :

(i) The Village Federation Committee;

(ii) The Taluka Federation Committee;

(iii) The District Federation Committee; and (iv) The State Federation Committee.

Explanation : Federation Committees in cities with a population of more than two lakhs will have the status of a District Federation Committee.

2. A District means an area comprised in a constituency for a State Assembly.

II Central Organisation :

1. The Central Organisation of the All-India Scheduled Castes Federation shall consist of :

(i) The All India Committee of the Federation; (ii) The Central Executive Committee of the Federation; and (iii) The General Session or Special Session of the Federation.

2. All the Local Organisations and the Central Organisations shall be the Constituent Bodies of the Federation.

ARTICLE IV

1. Subject to the explanation herein below any person belonging to the Scheduled Caste, and (i) whose name is on the voters’ list; and (ii) who accepts this Constitution shall be a member of the Federation and shall have a right to vote in the election to any of the Constituent Bodies of the Federation as may be Federation and shall have a right to vote in the election to any of the Constituent Bodies of the Federation as may be provided for by the Rules. Explanations : (1) Any person belonging to the Scheduled Castes who is not a member of any other political or any social or religious organisations whose aims and objects are not approved of by the Central Executive Committe of the Federation and who has not by word or by conduct declined to be a member of the Federation shall be deemed to have agreed to be a member of the Federation and accept the Constitution.

(2) Voters’ list means list of voters prepared by the State Government for a State Assembly Constituency. (3) Scheduled Caste means a caste recognised as such by the Constitution of India.

2. Provision may be made by rules for associate member ship of the Federation and the privileges that may be conferred on them. An associate member need not be a member of the Scheduled Caste.

ARTICLE - V

1. The list of Scheduled Caste voters for the Assembly Election of a State shall be the register of members on which elections to the Constituent Bodies of the Federation shall be based.

2. Every such person shall be qualified to vote and shall also be qualified to stand for election unless disqualified by any of the rules made in that behalf by or under the authority of the Federation.

ARTICLE VI

1. For every State recognised by the Constitution of India as a State for the time being there shall be a State Federation Committee with its headquarters located in the capital of the State.

2. The Primary Unit of the All-India Scheduled Castes Federation shall be the Village Committee of the Federation.

3. The Village Federation Committee shall consist of— persons chosen by the Scheduled Castes voters in the village and who are members of the Federation.

4. The Taluka Federation Committee shall consist of— members chosen by members of the Village Federation Committee within the Taluka, in accordance with the quota fixed in the State Working Committee in proportion to the Scheduled Caste population of each village to the total Scheduled Caste population of the Taluka.

5. The District Federation Committee shall consist of— members chosen by the members of the Taluka Federation Committees within each district in accordance with the quota fixed by the State Working Committee in proportion to the Scheduled Caste population of each Taluka to the total Scheduled Caste population of the District.

6. The State Federation Committee shall consist of— members chosen by the members of the District Federation Committees within the State in accordance with the quota fixed by the State Working Committee in proportion to the Scheduled Caste population of each District to the total population of the State.

7. The Village Federation Committee shall elect a Chairman from among its own members. The Chairman shall nominate— members of the Village Federation Committee to constitute a Working Committee. Out of the members of the Working Committee the Chairman shall nominate one member to act as Secretary and another member to act as a Treasurer.

8. The Taluka Federation Committee shall elect a Chairman from among its own members. The Chairman shall nominate— members of the Taluka Federation Committee to constitute a Working Committee for the Taluka. Out of the members of the

Committee the Chairman shall nominate one member to act as Secretary and another member to act as Treasurer.

9. The District Federation Committee shall elect a Chairman from among its own members. The Chairman shall nominate—members of the Committee to constitute an Executive Committee for the District. Out of the members of the Committee he shall nominate one to act as Secretary and another to act as Treasurer. Where there is no District Federation the affairs of the District shall be managed by the State Executive Committee.

10. The State Federation Committee shall elect a Chairman from among its own members. The Chairman shall nominate—members of the Committee to constitute a State Working Committee. Out of the members of the Committee he shall nominate one to act as Secretary and another to act as Treasurer.

PART IV

Organisation : Central ARTICLE VII

1. The Central Organisation of the Federation shall include the following :

(i) The President of the Federation;

(ii) The General Secretary of the Federation; (iii) The Treasurer;

(iv) The All-India Committee of the Federation; (v) The Central Executive Committee of the Federation; (vi) The All-India Committee of the Federation; and (vii) The Session or Special Session of the Federation. ARTICLE VIII

1. The All India Committee of the Federation shall consist of—persons chosen by members of the State Federation Committees out of their members in accordance with the population of Scheduled Castes in each State to the total population of Scheduled Castes in India as determined by the Central Executive Committee.

2. There shall be a Session of the All-India Scheduled Castes Federation every two years. The President of the Session shall be chosen by the members of the State Federation Committees.

3. The President either suo moto or on the requisition by one-third of the States Federation of Committees will call for a special Session of the All-India Scheduled Castes Federation.

4. President shall preside over the Session of the Federation.

5. The President shall choose one person from each State Federation Committee to form a Central Executive Committee.

6. The President shall nominate one person out of members of the All-India Committee of the Federation, to act as General Secretary of the Federation.

7. The President shall nominate another person out of the members of the All-India Committee of the Federation to act as a Treasurer.

ARTICLE IX

1. The President of the Federation and members of the State Committees of the Federation shall constitute the AllIndia Committee of the Federation.

2. The President of the Federation shall be the President of the All-India Committee of the Federation.

3. The All-India Committee of the Federation shall arrange for the implementation of the programme of work laid down by the Session of the Federation and shall have powers to deal with matters and situations that may arise during its term of office.

4. The All-India Committee of the Federation shall have power to frame rules, not inconsistent with this constitution, for regulating all matter connected with the Federation which shall be binding on all subordinate Federation Committees.

5. The All-India Committee of the Federation shall meet as often as required by the Central Executive Committee, or on a joint requisition addressed to the Central Executive Committee by not less than 50 members. Such requisition shall specify the purpose for which the requisitionists desire a meeting of the All-India

Committee of the Federation. A requisitioned meeting shall be held within two months of the receipt of the requisition. At any requisitioned meeting, additional items of business may be brought up by the Central Executive Committee for consideration.

6. At all meetings of the All-India Committee of the Federation other than requisitioned meetings, as far as possible, four hours shall be alloted for consideration of propositions of which due notice has been given by the members of the All-India Federation Committee in accordance with the rules prescribed in that behalf.

7. The presence of twenty-five members shall be enough to form the quorum for a meeting of the All-India Committee of the Federation.

ARTICLE X

1. A General Session of the Federation shall ordinarily be held biannually at the time and place decided upon by the AllIndia Committee of the Federation or the Central Executive Committee.

2. The General Session of the Federation shall consist of : (i) The President of the Federation;

(ii) The Ex-President of the Federation;

(iii) Members of the All-India Committee of the Federation; (iv) Members of the Central Executive Committee; and (v) Members of the Working Committee of the Village Federation, Taluka Federation, District Federation and State Federation.

3. (i) The Session shall consider resolutions recommended for adoption by the Subjects Committee in the first instance. (ii) Thereafter, the Session shall take up any substantive motion not included in (i), but which forty delegates have, before the commencement of the day’s sitting requested the President in writing to allow them to place before the Session provided, however that no such motion shall be allowed unless it has been previously discussed at a meeting of the Subjects Committee, and has received the support of at least a third of the members then present in the Subject Committee.

4. The State Federation Committee in whose jurisdiction the Session of the Federation is held, shall make such arrangements for holding the Session as may be deemed necessary and for this purpose shall form a Reception Committee which shall work under its general guidance and which may include therein persons who are not its members.

5. The Reception Committee shall elect its Chairman and other office-bearers from amongst its own members.

6. The Reception Committee shall collect funds for the expenses of the Session and shall make all necessary arrangements for the reception and accommodation of delegates. It may also make necessary arrangements for the visitors.

7. The receipts and disbursements of the Reception Committee shall be audited by an auditor or auditors, appointed by the State Federation Committee concerned, and the Statement of Accounts, together with the audit report, shall be submitted by the State Federation Committee to the Central Executive Committee not later than six months after the termination of the Session. Any surplus funds shall be divided equally between the All-India Committee of the Federation and the State Federation Committee. ARTICLE XI

1. The All-India Committee of the Federation shall meet as the Subjects Committee under the Chairmanship of the President atleast two days before the Session. The Central Executive Committee or in case a new President has been elected before the Session and there is no Central Executive Committee appointed by him functioning, a Steering Committee to be nominated by him shall submit to the Subjects Committee the programme of work including draft resolutions, for the Session of the Federation. In preparing the draft resolutions it shall take into consideration there solutions recommended by the State Federation Committees and resolutions given notice of by members of the All-India Federation Committee.

2. The Subjects Committee shall proceed to discuss the programme and shall frame resolutions for being moved in the open session. As far as possible, four hours shall be alloted for the

consideration of propositions of which due notice has been given by the State Federation Committees or members of the All-India Committee of the Federation.

ARTICLE XII

1. A Special Session of the Federation shall be held in case the All-India Committee of the Federation so decides or a majority of the State Federation Committees by their resolutions, request the President of the Federation to convene such a special Session.

2. Such a Special Session shall be organised by the State Federation Committee of the State selected for the Session. ARTICLE XIII

1. The Central Executive Committee shall appoint one of the members of the All-India Committee of the Federation to work as Returning Officer for the election of the President. Provided that a General Secretary who is a candidate for Presidentship shall be disqualified for such an appointment.

2. Any member of the Federation may propose the name of any member for election as President of the Federation. The proposal must be seconded by three other members. Such proposal must reach the Returning Officer on or before the date fixed by the Central Executive Committee.

3. The Returning Officer shall publish the names of all persons so proposed and it shall be open to any person whose name has been so proposed to withdraw his candidature within seven days of the publication of the proposed names by writing to the Returning Officer to that effect.

4. After eliminating the names of those who have withdrawn, the Returning Officer shall immediately publish the names of remaining candidates and circulate them to the State Federation Committees. If after elimination there remains only one candidate, he shall be declared as duly elected as President of the next Session of the Federation.

5. On a date fixed by the Central Executive Committee, which shall not ordinarily be less than seven days after the final

publication of the names of contesting candidates, each person qualified to take part in the selection shall be entitled to record, for the selection of a President, his vote in the following manner:

(a) On the voting paper, which shall exhibit, the names of the candidates, the voter shall record his vote. (b) Every voter shall have one vote.

(c) A simple majority shall be enough for the selection of the President.

(d) The State Federation Committee shall immediately forward the ballot box to the office of the All-India Committee of the Federation.

(e) As soon as may be, after the receipt of the ballot boxes, the Returning Officer, shall count the votes recorded for each candidate and a candidate who has secured a majority of the votes shall be declared elected as President.

(f) In the event of any emergency arising by reason of any cause, such as death or resignation of the President, elected as above, the Central Executive Committee shall forthwith fix a date for a fresh election as prescribed above. In case such procedure is not found possible by the Central Executive Committee, it shall convene a meeting of the All-India Committee of the Federation to elect a President.

(g) The President shall preside over the Sessions of Federation held after his election and during his term of office and he shall exercise all the powers of the Central Executive Committee when it is not in Session. PART V Duties, Functions and Powers of Office-Holders ARTICLE XIV

1. The Central Executive Committee shall consist of the President of the Federation and twenty members, including a Treasurer and the General Secretary, who shall be appointed by the President. Ordinarily, members of the Central Executive

Committee will be appointed from amongst the members of the All-India Committee of the Federation but, in special cases a person who is not member of the All-India Committee of the Federation may be appointed, provided, however, that a person so appointed shall cease to be a member of the Central Executive Committee if he is not elected as a member of the All-India Committee of the Federation within six months of his appointment.

2. The quorum for a meeting of the Central Executive Committee shall be seven.

3. The Central Executive Committee shall be the highest executive authorty of the Federation and shall have the power to carry into effect the policy and programme laid down by the Federation and by the All-India Committee of the Federation and shall be responsible to the All-India Committee of the Federation. It shall be the final authority in all matters regarding interpretation and application in all matters regarding the provisions of this Constitution.

4. The Central Executive Committee shall place before every meeting of the All-India Committee of the Federation a report of proceedings of the previous meeting of the All-India Committee of the Federation, and also an agenda of business for the meeting and shall allot time for non-official resolutions of which due notice may have been given by the members of the All-India Committee of the Federation in accordance with the rules prescribed in that behalf.

5. The Central Executive may appoint one or more auditors, or inspectors or other officers to examine the records, papers and account books of all committees of the Federation and organisations. It shall be incumbent on all such committees and organisations to furnish all required information to the Auditors, Inspectors or other Officers and to give them access to all officers, accounts and records.

6. The Central Executive Committee shall have the power : (i) to frame rules for the proper working of the organisation. Such rules shall as early as possible be placed for the consideration of All-India Committee of the Federation ;

(ii) to issue instructions not inconsistent with the Constitution and the rules in all matters not otherwise provided for;

(iii) to superintend, direct and control all local committees and subordinate committees as well as the Reception Committee ;

(iv) to take such disciplinary action as it may deem fit against the Chairmen or a Committee other than the All-India Committee of the Federation ; (v) to meet any special situation, the Central Executive Committee shall have the power to take such action in the interest of the Federation as it may deem fit; provided, however, that if any action is taken, which is beyond, the powers of the Central Executive Committee as defined in this Constitution, it shall be submitted as early as possible to the All-India Committee of the Federation for ratification ; (vi) to frame rules for maintaining discipline in the Federation and for disfranchising and enfranchising members.

7. The Central Executive Committee shall have the powers in special cases of difficulties to relax application of provisions of this Constitution without in any way violating the Constitution.

8. The Central Executive Committee shall have the accounts of the All-India Committee of the Federation audited annually by an auditor or auditors appointed by the All-India Committee of the Federation every year.

PART VI

Relation Between the Local Organisations and the Central Executive Committee ARTICLE XV

1. Subject to the general control of the President, the General Secretary shall be in-charge of the office of the AllIndia Committee of the Federation.

2. The General Secretary shall be responsible collectively for the preparation and publication of a report of the proceedings of the Session of the Federation, including its audited accounts, as soon as possible after the Session.

3. The General Secretary shall prepare a report of the work of the All-India Committee of the Federation and the Central Executive Committee including an audited statement of accounts, for the period since the last submission of such report and submit the same to the first meeting of the All-India Committee of the Federation held before the Session of the Federation. ARTICLE XVI

1. All moneys received for the Federation on behalf of the Central Organisation of the Federation shall be paid to the President and shall be held by him for the use of the Federation.

2. The Treasurer may obtain funds from the President for approved purposes.

3. The Treasurer or any one making any disbursement on behalf of the Federation shall secure a voucher for every item of expenditure incurred by him out of any funds that may be in his hands.

ARTICLE XVII

1. Subject to the control of the Central Executive Committee, every State Federation Committee shall ordinarily function through District Federation Committees.

2. Subject to the general supervision and control of the AllIndia Federation Committee, the State Federation Committee be in charge of the affairs of the Federation Committee within its own State.

3. An annual report of the work done by the local organisations of the Federation in the State including its audited balance sheet shall be submitted by the Chairman to the Central Executive Committee.

4. On failure of any State Federation to function in terms of this Constitution or in accordance with the direction of the State Federation, the latter may suspend the existing Committee and form an ad hoc Committee to carry on the work of the Federation in the State.

PART VII

Finance ARTICLE XVIII

1. There shall be levied on each village committee of the Federation an amount to be paid annually to the Federation.

2. The levy shall be fixed by the Working Committee of the State in accordance with the Scheduled Castes population of the village which has accepted membership of the Federation.

3. It shall be the duty of the Chairman of the Village Federation Committee to send statement of accounts to the Chairman of the State Federation Committee.

4. The amount collected by the State Federation Committee shall be distributed as follows :

(1) One-eighth shall be allotted to the Village Federation Committee.

(2) One-eighth shall be allotted to the Taluka Federation Committee.

(3) One-eighth shall be allotted to the District Federation Committee.

(4) Five-sixteenth shall be allotted to the State Federation Committee.

(5) Five-sixteenth shall be allotted to the Centre.

5. Every member of the Central Executive Committee of the Federation and every member of the All-India Committee of the Federation whether elected, ex-officio, associate or nominated, shall pay an annual fee of Rs. 10 to the Federation.

6. Every member of the Working Committee of the Village Committee, Taluka Committee, District Committee and State Committee shall pay an annual fee of Rs. 5 per year to their respective Committees.

7. The fees due from members of the Central Executive shall form part of the revenues of the Federation. The fees due from members of the Village Committee shall form part of the Village Committee, from Working Committee of the Taluka shall go to the Taluka Committee, of the District to the District, from the Working Committee of the State to the State.

8. Members will not be permitted to take part in any proceedings to which they may otherwise be entitled to if they fail to pay their fees.

PART VIII

Election ARTICLE XIX

1. The election to the Village Federation Committee, Taluka Federation Committees and the District Federation Committees and for the office of the Chairman shall be by simple majority.

2. The election to the All-India Committee of the Federation and for the office of the President shall be by simple majority. ARTICLE XX

1. The office of a member of any Committee or Board or Tribunal constituted under this Constitution, shall be vacated by resignation, removal or death.

2. All vacancies shall, unless otherwise provided for, be filled in the same manner in which the vacating member was chosen and members so elected shall hold office for the unexpired term of the seat vacated.

3. In the absence of any provision to the contrary, a Committee or Board or Tribunal, once it is properly constituted, shall not become invalid by reason of any vacancy in it. ARTICLE XXI The term of every Committee, every Executive Committee and its office bearers shall be two years.

PART IX

Election Disputes ARTICLE XXII

1. The State Federation Committee shall at its first general meeting, appoint by a majority of at least three-fourths of its members present and voting a State Election Tribunal consisting of not less than three and not more than five persons.

2. If any State Federation Committee fails to appoint a Election Tribunal as aforesaid, the Working Committee of the State shall appoint an Election Tribunal for that State.

3. Every State Election Tribunal shall hold office ordinariiy for two years but, in any event, shall continue to function till a new tribunal is appointed.

4. A member of an Election Tribunal shall not, while he is such member, hold any elective office in the Federation or stand as a candidate for any election.

5. The Central Executive Committee shall have superintendence over the State Election Tribunal.

6. The Central Executive Committee shall make rules for the conduct of business of the Election Tribunals. The State Election Tribunal may also make regulations not inconsistent with the rules made by the Working Committee for the conduct of business.

ARTICLE XXIII

1. There shall be an Election Tribunal for each State.

2. It shall be open to any candidate within a constituency to lodge a complaint, in accordance with the rules made in that behalf, in respect of any election in that constituency, before the State Tribunal within fifteen days of the declaration of the result of such election and the District Election Tribunal shall decide the complaint and communicate the decision to the parties concerned as expeditiously as possible.

3. Until an election is set aside by the Election Tribunal, the person elected shall be deemed to have been duly elected.

4. The State Election Tribunal shall on its own motion or on the motion of the State Federation Committee or on the motion of the party concerned, have the power to direct that any person found guilty of misconduct in connection with any election, maintenance of a register and the rolls of members, lodging of a false complaint or objection knowing it to be so, shall be disqualified from standing as a candidate for election or be expelled from the Federation for a period to be named.

5. Wherever fraudulent election is reported, the Working Committee concerned may enquire into such complaints and may take such action as may be deemed necessary. ARTICLE XXIV

1. The State Federation shall each year at the first meeting after the 30th June appoint by a majority of at least threefourths of its members present and voting, a State Returning Officer.

2. If any State Federation Committee fails to appoint a State Returning Officer as aforesaid the Central Executive Committee shall appoint a State Returning Officer.

3. The State Returning Officer shall conduct elections to all constituent bodies of the Federation in the State. He shall in consultation with the Executives of the State Federation and the District Federation Committees appoint District Returning Officers, Taluka Returning Officers and Village Returning Officers and such other officers for the proper conduct of elections in the State. He shall also perform such other functions allotted to him by the Central Executive Committee from time to time.

PART X

Selection of Candidates ARTICLE XXV

1. The Central Executive Committee shall set up a Board consisting of the President and five other members, with the President as its Chairman for the purpose of selecting candidates for election to the Central and State Legislatures and shall frame rules in that behalf.

2. The Election Board shall invite Local Committees of the Federation to propose names. The Board shall prepare a list of candidates in the order based, support received by the candidates.

3. The Board in making its selection shall have regard to support received by the candidate. But it shall not be bound to elect the first.

4. The Central Election Board shall set up an Election Committee for each State to deal with the Elections to Local Bodies including selection of candidates and frame rules for the Committee.

5. The State Election Committee shall recommend candidates for Central and State Legislatures to the Central Election Board.

PART XI

Miscellaneous ARTICLE XXVI

1. The flag of the Federation shall consist of stars against a blue cloth cut in triangle.

2. No person shall be a member of two organisations within Federation at one and the same time.

3. A federation Committee may delegate any of its powers smaller committee or an individual.

4. Population figures of the last available census shall be for all Federation purposes.

5. Where there is a question of the value of fractions, a fraction of one-half or more shall be treated as one, and less than one-half as zero.

6. Wherever in this Constitution, the word “vote” or any inflections occurs, it means or refers to a valid vote.

7. Any question or dispute arising under this Constitution regard to its provisions, contents, interpretation or the procedure laid therein, between any member and member, committee between committee inter se, shall be determined by the apropriate authority or authorities indicated in this Constitution, and if no such authority is indicated, by the Central Executive Committee. The decision of such authority shall be final and binding on all members and committees of the Scheduled Castes Federation, and shall not be liable to question by any of them in a Court of law.

PART XII

Amendment of the Constitution ARTICLE XXVII

1. This Constitution can be amended, altered or added to only by two-thirds majority of All-India Committee of the Federation, and ratified by a majority of the State Federation.

2. The amendment whether by alteration or addition shall be circulated to the Chairman of the State Federation Committees in each State and obtain their decision in the matter.

3. The Committees shall decide the issue by simple majority.

4. On receipt of the decisions of the State Committees the President shall announce if the amendment is accepted or rejected.

PART XIII

Rules of Discipline ARTICLE XXVIII

1. Any member of the Federation committing, any of the following acts shall be deemed to be guilty of indiscipline : (i) To act contrary to the declared policy of the Federation.

(ii) To openly and publicly criticise the policy of the Federation.

(iii) To openly and publicly criticise any member of the Federation.

(iv) To form a group within the Federation to give support to any member with the object of challenging the authority of constitutionally elected leader of the Federation.

(v) To spread ill-feeling against any member or to carry on any campaign of vilification.

(vi) To obstruct the working of the Federation or any constituent body of the Federation.

(vii) To misappropriate the funds of the Federation.

(viii) To join a party or a group not recognised by the Federation.

(ix) To be an office-holder of the Federation and to misuse or to omit to use the powers of that office and thereby bring about the failure of the Federation.

(x) To undertake any activity outside the aims, objects and powers of the Federation.

(xi) To oppose the official candidate put up by the Federation in any election.

2. Any member guilty of any act of indiscipline shall be liable to punishment by the Chairman of the State Federation subject to an appeal to the Central Working Committee. The decision of the Central Working Committee shall be final.

3. Punishment for indiscipline may be :

(i) Expulsion from the Federation which may be permanent.

(ii) Suspension for a period from the Federation. (iii) Removal from office.

(iv) Imposing of disability to hold office. PART XIV Transitory Provisions ARTICLE XXIX The President shall have the power to decide which Articles of the Constitution to be put into operation immediately.

Explanation : President in this part means the person who is at present the President of the Federation. ARTICLE XXX The President for the purpose of removing any difficulties particularly in relation to the transition from the present set up to the provisions of the Constitution shall have power to direct that the

Constitution during the transition period have effect subject to such adaptations, whether by way of modifications, addition or omission as he may deem to be necessary or expedient. The power of the President shall include the power to remove an office holder and nominate another in his place. ARTICLE XXXI Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions of Part X the President shall immediately reconstitute the State Federation, which is suspended or found to be not working properly.

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