Telangana bill yet to reach Andhra assembly

The bill for the formation of separate Telangana state has not yet reached the Andhra Pradesh assembly.

Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde told reporters Thursday in New Delhi that the bill would be sent to the assembly once it is received from Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The home minister said this when asked about the bill that has been sent to President Pranab Mukherjee and would be referred to the state assembly to seek its comments in 40 days.

The union cabinet Dec 5 approved the draft of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, 2013, and the next day the home ministry sent it to the president with a request to refer it to the state assembly under Article 3 of the Constitution.

Shinde said after the bill is sent back by the assembly, it would be discussed in the cabinet and a final bill would be sent to the president for his approval to table the same in parliament.

As the winter session of parliament ends Dec 20, the bill is likely to come up only in the next session.

Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh has already indicated that if necessary, a special session of parliament would be convened to pass the Telangana bill.

The winter session of the assembly began Thursday and it is scheduled to last till Dec 20. The Business Advisory Committee (BAC), which decides the agenda, is likely to meet again once the Telangana bill is received.

The session may be extended or a special session may be called next month to take up the bill.