November 2, 1972         

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO ARTICLE 70

The much talked about Article 70 of the Constitution Bill relating to the vacation of seat on resignation or expulsion from political party is discussed today at the Constituent Assembly. There were three amendments moved by independent member Manabendra Narayan Larma, NAP(M) nominee Suranjit Sengupta and Awami League member Nurul Huq to Article 70. Deputy Speaker Md Baitullah did not allow Larma to move his amendment, which proposed to delete the whole article. The deputy speaker ruled out the amendment on the ground that it was negative and was, in fact, no amendment.

Suranjit Sengupata's amendment sought to restrict the ground of vacation of a seat by a member of parliament only to his resignation from the party, on whose ticket the member was elected to the parliament. Dr Kamal Hossain held that party discipline was essential for the smooth running of the parliamentary system. He cited the example of the British Parliamentary Conventions. The amendment was put to vote and rejected by the House.

Nurul Huq's amendment proposed two grounds for the vacation: a) if the member resigns from the party with whose ticket he is elected and (b) if he fails to vote in the House with that party. Dr Kamal Hossain accepted the amendment in principle but suggested a consequential amendment qualifying the inability of the member concerned to cast his vote with his party in the House.

CANADIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER CALLS ON PM

Canadian High Commissioner Gordon Riddell calls on Prime Minister Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at his chamber at the Constituent Assembly building today. He called on Bangabandhu yesterday too.

INVESTIGATION IN MANY CASES COMPLETED

The War Crimes Investigation Agency has completed investigation of a large number of cases against the Pakistani occupation forces including top-ranking officials, informs a spokesman of the agency. Asked about the nature of the charges, the spokesman says those include genocide, murder, torture, rape, loot, wanton destruction and waging war against the people of Bangladesh. He refers particularly to the alarming number of rape cases estimated at about two lakh. Many families are also reluctant to disclose rape cases and other atrocities, he adds.

SOURCES: November 3, 1972 issues of Bangladesh Observer, Dainik Bangla and Dainik Ittefaq.