Hyderabad: The AP Legislative Cou-ncil will be abolished by the end of March if the Centre implements its assurance to AP Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
In the last three days, Mr Reddy has met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and requested them to introduce the Bill to abolish the Council in the second phase of Parliament Budget session which will begin on March 3.
Both Mr Modi and Mr Shah assured Mr Reddy that the Centre would introduce the Bill in the second week of March, according to sources close to the CM.
On the advice of Mr Modi and Mr Shah, Mr Reddy met Mr Prasad on Saturday. The AP Budget Session is likely to be held after March 15, and Mr Reddy wants the Council to be abolished by then. The next steps in the process are that the Union law ministry on the basis of the AP Assembly resolution on abolition of the Council will prepare a Bill and present it to the Central ministry.
Once cleared, the Bill will be introduced in both Houses of Parliament. After Parliament passes the Bill, it will be sent to the President for assent. Then, a notification will be issued to abolish the Council.
Meanwhile, Mr Modi and Mr Shah also assured that the Centre will take steps to relocate the AP High Court to Kurnool and clear the Disha Act, the other issues highlighted by Mr Reddy.
Explaining the three capitals proposal to Mr Shah, Mr Reddy told him that the AP BJP had assured in its election manifesto that the AP High Court would be located at Kurnool.
A leader close to Mr Reddy said that Mr Modi had directed the Chief Minister to meet Mr Shah and brief him on all issues. Mr Shah heard him out and directed him to mr Prasad. This shows how the top leaders in the Union government responded to the CM.”
