Retired IAS officer APVN Sarma and AK Mohanty, to aid Telangana Governor on security

Hyderabad: Retired IAS officer A.P.V.N. Sarma and A.K. Mohanty, the former DGP, have been appointed as advisers to the Telangana Governor, who will administer the ‘Common Capital Area of Hyderabad City’ in the matters of providing safety and security to the citizens.

The common capital area, as defined in the AP Reorganisation Act, is the geographical limits of the GHMC. The Union home ministry has notified the appointment of the two advisers.

Normally, advisers are appointed to the Governor to assist him in the administration of a particular state where President’s Rule has been imposed. But in this case, though the President’s Rule imposed on undivided AP was completely lifted in two phases  the Governor will continue with the advisers’ arrangement since the AP Reorganisation Act has a special clause for this.

Mr Mohanty was DGP of the undivided state. As Hyderabad commissioner, he had been after the MIM and had been shifted out by the then CM YSR, reportedly because of pressure by the MIM. The selection gains significance as the TRS and the Majlis almost decided to have a tie-up in the coming GHMC polls.

Following is the text of Section 8 of the AP Reorganisation Act:
(1) On and from the appointed day, for the purposes of administration of the common capital area, the Governor shall have special responsibility for the security of life, liberty and property of all those who reside in such area.

(2) In particular, the responsibility of the Governor shall extend to matters such as law and order, internal security and security of vital installations, and management and allocation of Government buildings in the common capital area.

(3) In discharge of the functions, the Governor shall, after consulting the Council of Ministers of the State of Telangana, exercise his individual judgement as to the action to be taken:
Provided that if any question arises whether any matter is or is not a matter as respects which the Governor is under this sub-section required to act in the exercise of his individual judgement, the decision of the Governor in his discretion shall be final, and the validity of anything done by the Governor shall not be called in question on the ground that he ought or ought not to have acted in the exercise of his individual judgment.

(4) The Governor shall be assisted by two advisors to be appointed by the Centre.