New Delhi: The Centre is keen to place the legislation to create a separate state of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh in the winter session of parliament, which starts on December 5, n order to reap poll benefits in 2014. The Union cabinet will hold a special meeting on December 3 to discuss the report prepared by the Group of Ministers (GoM) on Telangana and decide on the contentious issue.
Tuesday’s meeting has been called exclusively to discuss Telangana. Various options will be put forward, and the cabinet will take a final call,” said home minister Sushilkumar Shinde. The Centre also has to decide on the future of Hyderabad, which was to be jointly shared between the two states. After protests erupted over this suggestion, the issue of Hyderabad will also be discussed in the final meeting of the GoM, to be held either on Monday or early Tuesday to finalise the draft Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, said sources.
Hyderabad continues to be a contentious issue as Seemandhra leaders have been demanding protection of lives and property of Seemandhra people settled in Hyderabad, after the bifurcation. The government may not consider a proposal to make Hyderabad a union territory, on the lines of Chandigarh, and instead may suggest handing over the law and order responsibility and revenue department to the central government under a special provision of the Constitution until such time as Seemandhra manages to get its capital.
The government will be required to send the draft reorganization bill to the state assembly for comment before placing it in the parliament. The Andhra Pradesh legislature will get about 30 days to comment on the bill. However, its decision will not be binding on the Centre, and it can place the bill in the parliament with or without taking the state’s views into account.
Bureau Report
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