At the same time, we have to note with regret that the Chinese crisis will confront us with diverse grave problems. Of them the most serious would be the necessity to make the State more authoritarian, to enable it to resist the national danger. What shape such authoritarianism might take; what free-. dom will have to be given up to fortify national existence; what ideological adventures the ruling party will embark on the plea of military preparedness all this remains. to be seen.

At the same time, the Chinese aggression might make the Congress more modest in its claims of infallibility. Its policies might come to be rooted in realities. It may learn the necessity of taking all patriotic parties

with it.

However, the only way to save democracy for the common man is for the individual to pledge himself to democracy, to assert his freedom and to organise himself to resist this onward march towards Statism-and not

otherwise. Then only will our State be of the democratic variety and safeguard human values.

two High Court Judges, to suggest ways to reorganise the administration. Despite wide support for the resolution moved by Prof. Dewan Chand Sharma (Congress), Mr. B. N. Datar Minister of State for Home Affairs, expressed the Government's inability to accept it as, he said, several experts and committees had already gone into the question and their recommendations were now being implemented.

Speaking on the resolution, Mr. H. C. Mathur (Congress) said the entire structure of the services had to be changed to meet the present day needs. A body like the Hoover Commission in the U. S. should be set up to suggest complete overhaul of the administration. Even if it took two years to submit its report, it would help the Government in dealing with the Third Plan in a better way.

Dr. G. S. Melkote (Congress) went a step' further in supporting the resolution. A commission of the type, he said, should be set up every ten years to make a periodic review of the administration.

Mr. Ram Krishna Gupta (Congress), Mr. Ajit Singh Sarhadi (Congress), Mr. Braj Raj Singh (Socialist) and Mr. S. M. Banerjee (Independent), were among the several members who supported the motion,

Mr. S. Mahanty (Gantantra Parishad) said that while it was necessary to streamline the administration, no useful pupose would be served by appointing such a high-power commission. The condition of services had remained unchanged although several experts and competent authorities had gone into this question and had made recommendations. A new commission would only produce a voluminous report which would ultimately be sent to archives.

Change of Whole Pattern

Mr. Mahanty wanted the whole pattern of administration to be changed. In every Government department there were great bottlenecks which caused considerable delay. The system of having a permanent civil

service should also be given a go-by. This was a relic of the British rule and not in tune with the changes taking place in the country. The civil servants should be mainly judged by the standard of their efficiecy.

Mr. N. G. Goray (P. S. P.) said India had been trying, in the last decade, to move from a law-and-order State to a Welfare State. There was need to recast the whole administrative system. The problem was not peculiar to India. The difficulties that India was experiencing were common to the countries changing from a colonial to a developing economy. Widespread Corruption

Mr. Goray said everybody knew that corruption and inefficiency were widespread. Intelligent, patriotic young men, who joined the services with the object of serving the country, quickly became disillusioned because they found themselves victims of a system which sapped initiative and encouraged conformity. This is where a highcame in. Its task powered commission should be not merely one of rationalisation and recasting rules and regulations, but one of probing the basic causes which lay behind this frustrating state of affairs. In this to the connection, Mr. Goray referred Union Home Minister's reply to the question raised earlier in the House on the implications of the judgment in the Karnal Triple Murder Case and recalled that Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant had promised to inquire further into the matter. "Obviously", he declared, "there is something badly wrong in the State of Denmark".

Mr. B. N. Dater, Minister of State for Home Affairs, claimed that the government had already effected considerable improvement in the administration. They had ample material at their disposal to improve it further. They were studying the Gopalswamy Ayyangar and the Appleby Reports and had implemented many of their recommendations. Government's Complacency

Mr. Datar said the present organisation of Government work left little to be desired. He had often been comlimented on the work of officials. Whenever specific compaints against officials were made they were promptly inquired into and necessary action was

taken. While he did not deny that there was corruption, stringent measures had been taken to root it out. Concrete measures were also being taken to reduce avoidable delay in administration. Decentralisation was also being undertaken all over the country. The Government were giving all the necessary help to the States in executing their schemes for the purpose. Panchayats were being reorganised and given adequate powers to deal effectively with rural problems. They were also being rid of factionalism. As for reorganising the administration of justice, Mr. Datar said that the Law Commission had made several recommendations in this connection which would soon be examined by a conference of Law Ministers.

Mr. Datar also said the demand for the Commission had met little support in the

House.

Mover's Reply

Sharma made a sharp In his reply Prof. denunication of the atmosphere of complacency in which Ministers of the Central Government worked. Referring to the claim of Mr. Datar that he had often been complimented on the work of the officials, Prof. Sharma declared that Ministers and members of Parliament obviously lived in different worlds. While the former appeared to be showered with encomiums, the M. P. s heard nothing but complaints everywhere they

went.

Prof. Sharma said he could not understand how the Minister had come to the conclusion that the House was not behind the resolution. In fact only one member (Mr. S. Mahanty) had opposed it. The rest of the members had supported it. One got the feeling, Prof. Sharma said, that Ministers refused to be convinced in such cases. This was becoming an "occupational disease" of giving a negative reaction to the private members resolutions irrespective of their merit. Efficiency At Low Ebb

He did not deny that the Government had taken steps to tone up the administration. But the result had not been satisfactory. The efficiency in the Government departments was at a low ebb, the bureaucratic mentality of (Continued on next page )

Party & Government

To end factionalism in the party, the committee suggests the establishment of "harmony councils" in each State. These shall consist of the Chief Ministers, the PCC chiefs, two persons to be elected by the P.C.C.s and one by the A.I.C.C.

Referring to the selection of candidates for election as members of Parliament or State legislatures, the committee suggests that integrity, character and belief in the politics and programmes of the Congress should form the basis of nominations. To eliminate the enrolment of bogus members, the committee suggests that there should be atleast five

the officials continued unchecked and there was lot of wasteful expenditure. The services were more dedicated to the rules and laws than to their duty to the people. Prof. Sharma suggested democratic decentralisation as the first major step to pull up the administration out of rut. Secondly the people should be increasingly associated with the administration.

Prof. Sharma refused to withdraw the resolution, as had been urged by Mr. Datar. "I shall not yield", he said. "I shall go on pursuing this point. If I am not there to do it, (Sardar Ajit Singh) Sarhadi will do it, and (S. M.) Banerji will do it". He asked the Minister to change his mind and accept the suggestion.

On a voice vote the Speaker declared the resolution lost. The maximum attendance during the four-hour debate was about 20. Many members left shortly after they had spoken, so that, for the best part of the discussion, not more than 15 members were actually present. The only Minister present in the House was Mr. Datar.

Debate On Government Machinery

Primer Minister Nehru, in reply to a letter of Mr. Indulal Yagnik and ten other oppo

sition members of the Parliament that Government would endeavour to find time during the Budget session for a full discussion on the administrative structure and

procedures arising from the report of the Central Pay Commission. The eleven opposition members had pointed out to him in a joint communication that the issues raised in the report could not be considered by the House adequately in the course of a day.

They had also submitted that in order to make constructive comments on Government decisions, it was imperative for the House to have the opportunity of hearing Government's considered views on larger questions. of administrative structure and procedures with special reference to the needs of de velopmental planning on the one hand and the necessity of ensuring reasonable emolu-. ments of the Government employees on the other. A consideration of these problems. would involve matters which, though outside the terms of reference of the Pay Commission, had a vital bearing on the efficacy or otherwise of the recommendations of the Pay Commission.

Mr. Nehru has pointed out to them that there were two occasions during the Budget session when general aspects could be raised by members. One was the consideration of the President's address and the other the general debate on the Budget. "If in addition to this members of the House want some more time we shall endeavour to find it subject to Mr. Speaker's wishes and timebeing available", he added.

witnesses to the enrolment of each primary member. The unit dealing with the problems of Muslims, Harijans and other minorities at the A.I.C.C. should function more effectively and vigorously. Special efforts should be made to have minority representatives in elective posts at various levels. The committee has also offered suggestions regarding the organisation of youth and labour in cities and has proposed a comprehensive scheme for their training and education. Parliamentary Party

In a separate note, Mr. Rameshwara Rao suggests that the Congress should consider whether it should not ultimately develop into a well knit parliamentary party instead of continuing in its present form. In case, however, it is felt that the organisationeither in its existing form or with some modification-is more important than the legis lature party, the committee says that "all efforts (should then) be made to enhance the prestige of the organisation and its office bearers." The committee recommends that as a first step to rectify the present imbalance between the two wings of the party, the second best man in each State should be persuaded or even compelled to accept the presidentship of the Pradesh Congress. The prestige of the organisation cannot be enhanced as long as the P.C.C. chief does not enjoy a position next only to that of the Chief Minister and is not subordinate to Ministers or Deputy Ministers.

Party Posts

The committee is against the recent amendment to the Congress constitution prohibiting individual from seeking election to executive offices in the organisation for two consecutive terms. The effect of this amendment is manifesting itself in a reluctance on the part of the best people to offer themselves for executive positions in the organisation in preference to legislative and ministerial positions. Modest honoraria should be paid to Presidents and Secretaries of PCCs and DCC and even the AICC. Most Congressmen come from the lower middle class and can ill afford

to give their entire time to organisational

work.

Ministerial Interference

The committee deplores ministerial inter

ference in organisational affairs and says that. if it is to continue there appears to be little need for a separate organisation. The legislature party can as well manage the affairs of the organisation and the offices of the Chief Minister and PCC chief can be merged into one.

Group Rivalries

With a view to avoiding group rivalries and personal jealosuies often resulting in a public display of indiscipline in the State legislatures, leaders of the by a three-fifths majority. Once a leader is Congress Assembly parties should be elected elected, he should continue as such for as long as he is in the State Assembly. If, at any stage, he loses the confidence of a substantial number of members, he should voluntarily resign. A convention should be established whereby, once a Chief Minister goes out of office, he should not be eligible for relection. He should, in due course, cease to be a member of the Assembly.

Sitting members of Parliament and State legislatures should normally be selected as party candidates for the next election unless they are proved inefficient, corrupt or disloyal to the party. This will prevent the unhealthy practice of forming groups. Candidates should, however, belong to different age-groups. It is suggested that 20 percent should be above 60, thirty percent should be between 50 and 60, twentyfive percent between 40 and 50, fifteen percent between 30 and 40 and 10 percent between 25 and 30. This will allow for the infusion of new blood at every quinquennial election and facilitate the building of leadership at various age levels.

The report has been circulated among the members of the executive committee of the Parliamentary Pary for comment. Thereafter, a comprehensive report will be prepared for submission to the AICC for action. High Power Tribunal

A committee of Congress Parliamentary Party, of which Mr. Ramjibhai Verma was the convener, in its report on the revitalisation of the Congress has recommended the setting up of a high-power tribunal in the Congress organisation to inquire into comp