Prez yet to get extension file
Prez yet to get extension file, Pranab Mukherjee, bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana Bill Ext. The file sent to the Home Ministry is presently with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
- Deadline for Assembly ends on Jan 23
- AP govt has requested one-month extension
- Home Ministry has sent the file to the PMO
- It has reportedly favoured 10-day extension
- PMO yet to forward the file to President
New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee is yet to receive the file sent by the Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary to the Centre, requesting further extension to the AP Assembly to consider the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, 2013, seeking bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and creation of Telangana.
The file sent to the Home Ministry is presently with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). While the Union Home Ministry is keen that the file be sent soon to the President for its consideration, the PMO is taking its own time to send it across the road to the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Meanwhile, sources stated that the President has sent his reply to the Union Home Ministry on the letter written to him by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy.
The Chief Minister had written a letter to President Pranab Mukherjee earlier on his stand on Telangana and his complaints against Centre on bringing the Bill in a hasty manner. The Chief Minister is believed to have put on record his views on the division of the State and the manner in which the Centre had overruled his views.
The President, according to sources, has forwarded the letter to the Union Home Ministry with his own comments.
As regards to the Telangana Bill, the President had given six weeks time for the Andhra Pradesh Assembly to consider and return the Telangana Bill, which expires on January 23. The State government has sought extension of one month beyond January 23. While forwarding the AP request to the President, the Union Home Ministry was understood to have recommended that one month extension may not be feasible and was understood to have suggested a 10-day extension only.
The PMO, however, is taking its own time to send the file of the Telangana Bill to the President. The Draft Telangana Bill was referred under Article 3 of the Constitution by President Pranab Mukherjee to the Andhra Pradesh Legislature to consider and express its views on it and return the same byJanuary 23.
In case of a 10-day extension, the Telangana Bill is expected to be returned to the Centre in February first week. Since the resumed Parliament Session is from February 5 to 21, the government will still have enough time to process the Telangana Bill and bring it to Parliament latest by the last week of the session, and get it passed in both the Houses.
After the Draft Telangana Bill is returned to the President, he forwards it to the government, which, in turn, will process the Draft Bill. After necessary amendments, the Telangana Bill will be brought to Parliament and passed. The Congress-led UPA government is keen to pass the Telangana Bill during the upcoming Parliament Session to make Telangana a reality.
