Guv seeks clarification on new municipal bill:official sources

Telangana Governor ESL Narasimhan has sought some clarifications on the new municipalities bill passed by the assembly last week, official sources said Tuesday.

The bill was passed during a specially-convened two-day session last week.

The opposition Congress and BJP had raised objections to the bill, alleging that certain provisions in the bill were against the principles of democracy and Constitution.

The Congress and BJP Tuesday welcomed the Governor's action.

AICC Secretary Sampath Kumar alleged in a statement that the governor "sending back the bill" is a failure of the TRS government.

The TRS government got the bill passed with a unilateral attitude though the Congress made some demands on it, he claimed.

Senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya has also welcomed the Governor's move.

"The Telangana Governor sending back the new municipal bill, 2019 conveying objections and making some directives with amendments is a victory of democratic forces.

BJP welcomes the Governor's action," Dattatreya told reporters Tuesday.

Dattatreya and other BJP leaders had earlier called on the Governor and urged him to send back the municipalities bill.

The Telangana Assembly last Friday passed the municipal bill which proposes citizen-friendly initiatives such as self-assessment of property tax and tough measures including disqualification of elected members for failure to ensure survival of 85 per cent of plants under a green drive.