President Pranab Mukherjee is believed to have consulted legal luminaries on the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation bill, which was referred to him by the government on Monday, and sent it to the Union Home Ministry. He returned here on Wednesday from Johannesburg after attending the memorial service for Nelson Mandela.
According to Rashtrapati Bhavan sources, the Bill on Telangana has been sent to the Home Ministry without specifying any time frame within which he expects the Andhra Pradesh Assembly to return it to him. Sources say the Union government desires that the Assembly communicate its views to the President within a period of six weeks. There are speculations suggesting that the Assembly would have to get back within 40 days though no one in the President’s office or the Centre could confirm it.
Centre not bound by views of Assembly
The Centre is not bound by the views of the Assembly. The Union government could commend the Bill to Parliament for consideration and passage even if the Assembly rejects the Bill.
However, what is certain is that there is no way the Bill could be considered during the current Parliament session which is scheduled to end on December 20.
