Telangana staff want Mulki Rule back

Hyderabad: The demand for revival of Mulki rule in Telangana is back in focus. In Undivided AP, Telangana employees associations and student organisations used to make this demand frequently to ensure jobs for locals. Now, the demand has cropped up again after the formation of Telangana state. With the TS government deciding to abolish the zonal system for government recruitments and take the state and district as units, various employees' unions are again seeking revival of Mulki rules to ensure jobs for only locals in a particular district and also at state level.

If this is not done they fear that non-locals will get jobs in TS. Besides, those from urban districts like Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, Karimnagar, and Warangal would secure most of the jobs and those from backward districts such as Adilabad, Mahbubnagar, Nalgonda etc will be left out. Mulki rules were introduced under Nizam rule and stipulate that only those staying in a particular region for 15 years are eligible for government jobs. To revive the rules, the state government has to pass a resolution in the State Legislature and refer it to the Centre for approval. TNGO's Association, which represents a majority of state government employees, has been in the forefront in demanding that these Mulki rules be reinstated.

“A large number of AP-native people and their children who settled in Hyderabad or other parts of TS became locals of TS as per the existing local-status formula of school study from Class IV to X. If Mulki rules are brought in, they or their parents should have resided in TS for 15 years at a stretch. Mulki rules existed prior to 1975 and were abolished by a Presidential Order,” said Karem Ravinder Reddy, president, TNGO’s Association.

Employees don’t see this as a big issue since the TS government has anyway decided to scrap the zonal system after getting the Centre’s approval for a constitutional amendment to Article 371(d), and the revival of Mulki rules can be included as part of this.

“When the zonal system, which was introduced as per a Presidential Order with the Centre's approval, is scrapped, revival of Mulki rules is also possible by government adopting the same procedure,” said G. Deviprasad, honorary president, TNGOs Association. TS Gazetted Officers’ Association and Teachers’ associations are also demanding revival of Mulki rules and have submitted representations to chief secretary S.P. Singh.