The Chandrababu Naidu government on Monday urged the Centre to define the powers of the Governor under the AP Reorganisation Act to ensure the division of institutions in an appropriate manner between the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
The issue was discussed at the Cabinet meeting and the State government decided to write to the Centre, contending that powers specified in Section 8 of the Act were not properly defined, Minister for Information and Public Relations Palle Raghunatha Reddy told reporters later.
Under the Act, the Governor is common for AP and Telangana. Section 8 entrusts the Governor with special responsibility for the security of life, liberty and property of all those who reside in the common capital, Hyderabad. The Governor’s responsibility extends to matters such as law and order, internal security and security of vital installations, and management and allocation of common buildings in the common capital.
It is also mentioned that in discharge of these functions, the Governor shall, after consulting the Council of Ministers of the State of Telangana, exercise his individual judgment as to the action to be taken.
Mr. Reddy said the Cabinet discussed defects in the AP Reorganisation Act, and said the headquarters of an institution was not properly defined and ‘grave injustice’ was done to AP. He said there were 107 institutions under the 10{+t}{+h}Schedule, six under ninth and 40 others that do not come under either of them.
Asked if the arrest of Telangana TDP MLA Revanth Reddy for allegedly trying to bribe nominated MLA Elvis Stephenson was discussed, he quipped, “This is the AP Cabinet. Why will we discuss Telangana issues?”
It is learnt that Mr. Naidu expressed displeasure in the Cabinet meet over the “unilateral” manner in which the TRS government was taking control of institutions and reportedly said it was not honouring the letter and spirit of the AP Reorganisation Act. Mr. Naidu is believed to have sought the opinion of Cabinet colleagues on how to counter the acts of the TRS government.
