Kiran Reddy seeks 4-week extension for Telengana Bill

Hyderabad: Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy has cited the complexities of the Telangana Bill, and the string of festivals, which held up the discussions, in his letter to President Pranab Mukherjee seeking extension of the January 23 deadline for the state legislature to return the Bill.

The CM has sought four more weeks to debate the AP Reorganisation Bill 2013, to give it its official title. The letter comes with just four days left of the 42-day period given by the President to the Assembly to express its opinion on the Bill.

Chief secretary P.K. Mohanty also wrote to the Union ministry of home affairs conveying the request of several legislators to extend the time for debate following his meeting with Speaker N. Manohar on Saturday.

Sources close to the CM told this newspaper that he explained in detail the complexities involved in the Bill and that the time was not sufficient to discuss these. He focused on the time lost due to festivals and other holidays in the 42-day period given by the President.

The Chief Minister also explained that about 5,000 amendments have been proposed by the members and they insist on presenting the amendments in the House and speaking on it.

Next: Telengana leaders for 1 more week

Telengana leaders for 1 more week

S.N.C.N. Acharyulu

Hyderabad: The process of forming the Telangana state is at a crucial stage. Whether the separate state will be formed before the polls depend on two factors: Whether President Pranab Mukherjee extends the January 23 deadline for the State Assembly to give its views on the T Bill and the duration of the extension.

Seemandhra leaders want to slow down the process by getting an extension, but Telangana leaders don’t want the extension to be for more than a week.

Should the President extend the deadline by two weeks or more, bifurcation of the state will be stalled and the state may go to the elections undivided.