Sincerity behind early polls: Telangana government

Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Monday told the Hyderabad High Court that it had gone for early elections to prove its sincerity for the welfare of the people.

Supreme Court senior counsel C. Aryama Sundaram, appearing for the state government before a division bench comprising Chief Justice Thottathil B. Radhakris-hnan and Justice S.V. Bhatt, submitted that the Opposition parties had been opposing welfare programmes by making baseless allegation of corruption against the state government.

He said that if the people felt that the state government was sincere then they would get the people’s mandate. Otherwise the result would go differently. Mr Sundaram said the government trusted the people and that was the reason it had gone for early elections to seek public opinion.

He told the court that Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan had dissolved the Assembly by using his executive power on the recommendation of the Cabinet. The Governor had a nominal role in dissolving the Assembly when the Cabinet had recommended it under Article 174(B).

Senior counsel said that when the Cabinet recommended dissolution, there was no need for the Governor to seek the opinion of the members of House. If the Governor attempted to do so, it would amount to parallel rule.

The bench was dealing with the petition by Mr E. Sheshank Reddy and another challenging the early dissolution of the Assembly. The bench allowed former Congress minister D.K. Aruna to impled as party to the petition.

Arguing for the petitioners, Mr Niroop Reddy, senior counsel of the SC, submitted that the Governor had the discretion to intervene in the matter and invite the members to express their opinion on the decision of the Cabinet.Referring to the statement of the Chief Minster with regard to the dates of the election, he alleged that it appeared that the Election Commission was functioning on his directions.

Reacting to this, the bench said, “the prophecy of the CM with regard to election schedule and date of election appears to lead to criticism.” The bench adjourned the case to Wednesday.