Essay on the Representation of Anglo-Indians in the Legislatures

The Constitution empowers the President under Article 331 to nominate a maximum of two members of the Anglo-Indian community to the House of the People, if he is of the opinion that the community is not adequately represented.

From a population point of view, the Anglo-Indian community was not entitled even to one seat in Parliament. The President will act on the basis of this constitutional provision only when no Anglo-Indian had been elected to the House of the People in the General Elections. There is at present provision for two nominated Anglo-Indian members in the House of the People.

Just as the President is empowered to make these nominations, the Governor of a State is empowered under Article 333, to nominate such number of members of the Anglo-Indian community to the State Legislative Assembly as he considers appropriate, if in his opinion the community needs representation in the State Assembly and has not been adequately represented.

At present, there is provision for one Anglo-Indian nominated member in the Legislative Assemblies of West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. Thus, the community has now been given representation in the Legislative Assemblies of all the States in which their population is over two thousand.

Reservation in Services

Under Article 336, the Anglo-Indian community was given special consideration with regard to appointments in certain services. Accordingly, during the first two years after the commencement of the Constitution, they would be appointed to posts in the railways, customs, postal and telegraph services on the same basis as immediately before the 15th of August 1947.

This reservation would be progressively reduced at the rate of 10 per cent after every two years and was to completely cease at the end of ten years. Such reservation, however, was not to bar the members of the community from being appointed to any post under the Government if found qualified for appointment on merit as compared with the members of other communities.

It may be mentioned here that the response from the Anglo-Indians for the posts reserved for them had been extremely poor. Since the ten-year period was over long ago, Article 336 has little relevance now.

Grants for Educational Benefits

The Anglo-Indian community was entitled to special educational grants under Article 337 of the Constitution for a period of ten years. During the first three years, this grant was to be equal to what the community had been receiving in 1947.

Thereafter, it was to be progressively reduced at the rate of 10 per cent at the end of every three years and it would completely cease as a special concession to the community at the end of ten years. It was further provided that at least 40 per cent of the annual admission in the Anglo-Indian educational institutions receiving such grants should be made available to members of other communities.

These provisions, on the whole show the genuine desire of the framers of the Constitution to accommodate the special interests of a small minority community like the Anglo-Indians and infuse confidence in them.

When the British left India in 1947, the Anglo-Indians were apprehensive of their future in free India. But soon, the members of the community found that not only were their interests safe but the leaders of independent India were prepared to give them even special consideration so that they could continue as Indian citizens with hope and confidence.