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If, however, Indians resident in the United Kingdom are to continue to be given all the rights and privileges
hich they at present enjoy it is important to ensure that the Government of India will reciprocate to the greatest degree possible so far as citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies resident in or visiting India are concerned. There is unfortunately no prospect of obtaining national treatment for United Kingdom companies operating in India and it is not considered that it will be possible to obtain complete reciprocity even in the treatment of persons. The Indian Constitution, for example, provides that only Indian citizens may sit in the legislatures, both of the Union of India and of the States, and that only Indian citizens may hold important cffices of state, and elections are to be on the basis of adult suffrage "that is, that every citizen who is not less than 21 years of age shall be entitled to vote". It is possible, however, that the Indian Parliament could, under the Constitution, provide for other persons to vote also, and it is hoped that it may be possible to arrange at the talks with Sir Girja Bajpai for a statement of the intention of the Government of India to introduce legislation whereby United Kingdom citizens resident in India shall be eligible for the franchise on the same temas as Indian citizens. From a practical point of view the individual right which it is important to obtain in India is non-foreign treatment, including, in particular, freedom of entry and from deportation (except of genuine undesirables) and freedom from requirements imposed on aliens such as registering and reporting to the police.
7.
Sir Girja Bajpai will arrive in London on 8th November. It is desirable that a copy of the draft Bill should be communicated to him in the course of discussions which have been arranged for 9th and 10th November, and I invite my colleagues to agree that this should be done.
Bed
3rd November, 1949
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-3-
A.
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