Centre asked to file plea over AP Reorganisation Act

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to file its response on a plea seeking direction for proper implementation of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act that led to the bifurcation of the state.

A bench of Justices A.K. Sikri and Ashok Bhushan asked the Centre what it had done in four years since the bifurcation.

"Nearly four years have passed and nothing happened. File your response...," the court said and asked Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Maninder Singh to file a reply in four weeks.

The plea was filed by Congress member and MLC Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy. He alleged that several provisions of the Act including the set up of a separate High Court for Telangana was not yet implemented.

"Number of the provisions enacted in the Act are not being implemented by the Union of India and various departments/ministries under Union of India. This has been resulting in hardship to lakhs of people in both states and the non-implementation of provisions/assurances made in the Act will reduce the confidence on Parliament among the people," the petition stated.

"The major provisions which are not/partially implemented are Tenth Schedule - Continuance of Facilities in 107 State Institutions, River Management under Eleventh Schedule, Allotment of Special economic measures and utilization of Infrastructure under Twelfth Schedule, Establishment of Steel Plants in Khammam and Kadapa districts, 4,000 MW Power facility in Telangana, Railway coach factory, Tribal University in Telangana and Andhra, Horticulture University in Telangana and IIT, NIT, IIM, IISER, Central University, Agriculture University, AIIMS etc."

Advocate Sravan Kumar, appearing for Reddy, argued that the non-implementation would erode people's confidence in Parliament.

The Act came into force on June 2, 2014.

--IANS

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