CM describes Telangana Bill as unconstitutional, flawed

Hyderabad, Jan 25 : Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Saturday described the draft Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill as unconstitutional.

Participating in the discussion on the Bill in the State Legislative Assembly, the Chief Minister accused the Centre of violating the constitutional and Parliamentary practices in sending the draft Bill to the Assembly. He said that the Bill was sent without any documents to seek the State legislature’s opinion and it was voilative of the Constitution. According to the Parliament Procedures, the objectives, reasons and financial memorandum should be attached to the Bill before sending it to the President of India. But, the Telangana Bill was sent without any attachments. Secretary of Union Home Ministry in a communiqué to the State Government informed that the Bill sent to the State was only a draft Bill. Actually, draft Bills should not be sent to the President of India as per the procedures, he pointed out. Moreover, as per the Constitution of India, original Bill should be sent to the State, but not the draft Bill, he added.

Further, Kiran Kumar Reddy said that the centre should have sent the original bill both to the President and the legislature. He also criticised the Centre for not taking into consideration the recommendations made by the State Reorganisation Commission and the Sri Krishan Committee while taking a decision on Telangana formation. He said Sarkaria and Punch Commissions have also made it clear that consultation with the States was a must for bifurcation of a State. He described the Bill as full of flaws and violative of rules.

Responding to leader of the opposition N.Chandrababu Naidu’ observation that the Chief Minister should have sent back the draft bill immediately after it was sent for the opinion of the legislature, Kiran Kumar Reddy said that when the bill was sent he was not present in the house as he was unwell. He reiterated that he was in favour of united Andhra Pradesh and said that the division of the State would lead to several problems including sharing of the river waters and other resources.

Kiran Kumar Reddy also claimed that he expressed his desire to quit the post when the Congress High Command informed him about their decision on Telangana. “The bifurcation of the State worried me similar to the death of my father. I informed the same to the AICC President Sonia Gandhi. When the Congress high command said that injustice was done to Telangana in giving the Chief Minister’s post, I pointed out that it was the party high command which selected the leaders for the Chief Minister,” he said. INN