Governor to have special law and order powers in Hyderabad

The governor of the existing Andhra Pradesh state will serve as governor of both successor states for a period to be determined by the president, proposes the bill for formation of Telangana, and will have special law and order powers in Hyderabad.

The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill 2013 provides that the governor will have special responsibility for the security of life, liberty and property of all those who reside in Hyderabad, which will be a common capital of both the state for 10 years.

The 63-page bill was tabled in Andhra Pradesh assembly Monday after the president referred it under Article 3 of the constitution, seeking the assembly's opinion by Jan 23.

Telangana, comprising 10 districts including Hyderabad, will be the 29th state in India.

The governor, who will be assisted by two advisors to be appointed by the central government, will have the responsibility with regard to matters such as law and order, internal security and security of vital installations, and management and allocation of government buildings in the common capital area.

By mooting the ideas of common capital and powers to the governor with regard to law and order in Hyderabad, the central government has tried to allay the apprehensions of Seemandhra (Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra) people living in Hyderabad.

Andhra Pradesh will have a new capital after 10 years. An expert committee will be constituted within 45 days from the enactment of the bill, to study various alternatives and make recommendations regarding the new capital.

The bill proposes that central government will assist the successor states to raise additional police forces.

The training centre of Greyhounds, the elite anti-Maoist police force, in Hyderabad will serve as a common centre for both the state for 10 years. After the expiry of this period, it will become the training centre for Telangana.

The central government will assist Andhra Pradesh to set up a similar state-of the-art training centre.

The central government will also provide financial assistance to the successor states in setting up new operational hubs for Greyhounds "at such locations as the successor States may by order notify".

The Greyhound and OCTOPUS (anti-terror wing of the police) forces of the existing state shall be distributed between the successor states after seeking options from the personnel.

The existing high court located in Hyderabad will be the common high court for both the states till a separate high court is constituted for Andhra Pradesh.

In an attempt to allay the apprehension of students from Seemandhra who come to Hyderabad for higher education, the bill proposes that the existing admission quotas in all government or private, aided or unaided, institutions of higher, technical and medical education should continue along with the existing common admission process for 10 years.