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Page perronte Plesching repeated that what was in mind was the possibility of providing in the Bill for such adaptation of existing legislation as might be necessary by Orders in Council. There was one other point to which he ought to draw Sir Girja's attention. The effect of the continuance of the existing situation, as regards Indians in the United Kingdom, would be that they 'would remain subject to the requirement of National Service. He did not think that there was very much in this, since the numbers affected would be extremely small. It was, of course, recognised that the Government of India would enjoy reciprocal rights in this respect.
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Sir Girja Bajpai thought that this was not a practical problem. He believed he was correct in assuming that students and persons temporarily resident in the United Kingdom were normally exempt.
Sir Norman Brook confirmed that this was the position and emphasised that Sir Girja could be assured that in the event of war breaking out there would be no conscription of Indian citizens without prior consultation with the Govern- ment of India.
Sir Girja thought that on this basis the continuance of the existing position would not be likely to cause difficulty. The less public discussion, the better.
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Mr. Murrie drew attention to the reference in the Aide-Mémoire 'to the desirability of the Government of India requesting that their citizenship law should be regarded as a citizenship law for the purpose of the British Nationality Act, 1948. He assumed that the Government of India would have no objection to carrying out this procedure in respect of the citizenship law which they intended to introduce.
Sir Girja saw no difficulty in principle. It was the normal procedure to give information for purposes of consultation before action. There could scarcely be an objection of principle to notifying the passage of legislation, i.e., to a communi- `cation after action had been taken.
Sir Girja said that he did not propose to telegraph any report of the meeting to Delhi, but that he would himself report on it after his return. He would be in India by 14th November. It would be necessary for the matter to be studied carefully, but he recognised the importance of speed in this matter.
Sir Norman Brook explained that the position so far as legislation in the United Kingdom was concerned was, roughly, that it would have to be passed before 16th December if it was to be passed at all before India became a Republic. The time-table was therefore very tight.
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12 & 13 GEO. 6
ANNEX B