The Telangana government has decided to reintroduce three Bills rejected by Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan after the state Assembly passed them.
The Bills will be passed in the monsoon session of the Assembly to commence on 3 August.
The state Cabinet, which met yesterday for almost six hours, has taken the decision to reintroduce the Bills. Once passed, the governor will be left with no option but to give her assent.
Earlier this year, the state government had moved the Supreme Court after the governor kept nine bills pending pleading for a direction to Dr Soundararajan to take a decision. With the Assembly elections due this year time is running out for the BRS Government for the legislation.
The state Cabinet has decided to introduce the three Bills pertain to Municipal Administration, Panchayat and Education Departments again as the governor “will have no role” after the state Assembly passed the Bills a second time.
Dr Soundararajan had publicly voiced her criticism of the Bill allowing private universities to be set up in the state pointing out that the condition of public educational institutions in the state is bad. The Telangana Municipal Laws (Amendment) Bill increases the minimum term before a no-confidence motion can be brought against a municipal chairperson or mayor from three to four years.
The governor has two of the Bills pending her consent. The rift between the state government and the governor has been going on for quite some time with the latter accusing Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao of discrimination against her because she is a woman. The BRS has accused her of politicising the Constitutional office pointing out that she was the BJP president of Tamil Nadu right before she was appointed as governor of Telangana.
Meanwhile, the state Cabinet also took several other key decisions including that the 43,373 employees of the state owned Road Transport Corporation will be treated as government employees. The decision that comes ahead of state elections is expected to reap benefits for the BRS in the elections.
The Cabinet also allocated Rs 500 crore for relief operations and repair of damaged roads after floods in the state led to more than 40 deaths. It will also seek Centre’s support to expand the Metro network in the city as well as for developing a second airport at Hakimpet beside the existing one which belongs to defence ministry.