Telangana Bill may miss winter session
HYDERABAD: Chances of the Telangana Bill being introduced in the Winter Session of Parliament, which ends on Dec 20, appear slim. It was expected that the bill would be submitted to the Union Cabinet on Thursday and referred to the State Assembly for its views by Dec 2-3.
However, with the Group of Ministers (GoM) unable to finalise their report Wednesday, there seems little possibility of the bill going to the Cabinet Thursday.
But sources did not rule out the possibility of the Cabinet meeting again in a couple of days to give the green signal for the bill. One of the GoM members, in an informal chat with reporters after their meeting, also said the report was almost finalised.
Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde was authorised to give finishing touches to one or two pending issues and he might do that Thursday, he said. If Shinde does that, the report or the T bill may be sent to the Cabinet Thursday itself.
However, indications are the bill might now be referred to the Assembly either on Dec 3 or 4. Since the bill will have to be referred to the Assembly by the President, it is certain that it would be sent to the Raj Bhavan first and Governor ESL Narasimhan in turn will forward it to the Assembly Speaker and Chairman of the Legislative Council.
Later, after due consultations with Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, a special Assembly session would be convened to discuss it.
This process itself might take two-three days. It is more than likely that the Speaker as well as the Chairman will let as many MLAs/MLCs as possible to express their views during the session.
In other words, the entire process of the Assembly expressing its views could take 10-15 days. By the time the Assembly's views are conveyed to the President and he refers it to the Union Cabinet, there may be little time left to table and pass the bill in both Houses of Parliament before Dec 20.
Sources, however, are not ruling out the possibility of the Parliament being reconvened after Christmas/New Year recess in Jan first week. In such a case, will the BJP and other parties cooperate?
In this context, what happens on Dec 8, the day when results of the Assembly polls in four States will be out, is expected to influence the stand that BJP and other parties take on the Telangana bill in Parliament.
News Posted: 28 November, 2013
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