Telangana's Cabinet Meeting Postponed Amid Election Code Dispute

Hyderabad: The State Cabinet meeting scheduled for Saturday afternoon was postponed after the Election Commission (EC) did not grant approval due to the model code of conduct, imposed for the recent Lok Sabha polls and the May 27 Graduate MLC bypoll for the Khammam-Warangal-Nalgonda constituency, being in force.

The EC decision angered Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, who has decided to visit Delhi on Monday along with state ministers to meet Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and seek permission for holding the Cabinet meeting to discuss urgent issues, if the EC failed to accord permission by then.

The code of conduct will be in force till June 5 when the counting of votes for the MLC bypoll will be completed; the Lok Sabha election results will be declared on June 4.

Revanth Reddy expressed disappointment at the EC not granting approval for conducting Cabinet meeting, which was convened to discuss crucial matters for farmers like ₹ 2 lakh crop loan waiver, paddy procurement, Kharif planning as well as pending bifurcation related issues and the opening of the academic year.

Revanth Reddy and ministers, along with Chief Secretary A. Santhi Kumar and secretaries of various departments, had gathered at the Secretariat by 4 pm, awaiting last-minute approval from the EC to hold the Cabinet meeting. When this was not forthcoming by 7 pm, they left the Secretariat.

"Due to the lack of response from the EC, we were unable to discuss and address the urgent and welfare issues of our farmers," Revanth Reddy said.

The Cabinet meeting was also set to address important matters related to the upcoming Telangana State Formation Day on June 2. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the state's formation, and the Cabinet was to discuss unresolved issues between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, along with key pending issues under the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.

Sources said the postponement of the Cabinet meeting, thought it was meant to discuss vital issues, highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by the state administration in addressing urgent governance issues while the election code is in force. The state government remained hopeful of a prompt resolution to facilitate the essential meetings and decisions that impact the welfare of people, the sources said.