CM delaying tabling of Telangana Bill in Assembly?

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy appears to be lobbying hard to delay the tabling of Telangana Bill in the State Legislative Assembly.

The copy of the Bill was reportedly scheduled to be circulated to the legislators on Friday morning. However, sources say that the circulation was delayed after the Chief Minister insisted that the Bill be translated into Telugu and Urdu first. Although the Assembly will resume on Monday and a copy, with translations, might be circulated on the same day, the Business Advisory Committee will have to meet again to finalise the schedule for debate on Telangana Bill. Since, the ongoing session will last only for seven days; the Assembly would have only four days from Tuesday to debate and decide on the Bill, even if the BAC decides on Monday to discuss it.

Meanwhile, PCC President Botsa Satyanarayana is making efforts to delay the Bill by suggesting that the Assembly discuss it for at least 20 days. Although President Pranab Mukherjee gave 42-day period for the Assembly to send its views, the ongoing winter session of the Parliament will end on December 20. Therefore, if the Telangana Bill gets dragged up to December 20, then the Centre would not have an opportunity to table the same in the Parliament in present session.

The Centre will then be forced to table the Bill during that short session which is likely to be held in February 2014 for passing the Vote-On-Account decision on Telangana Bill. Else, it will have to convene an unprecedented special session of the Parliament to debate and pass the Bill. 

If these moves fail, then tabling of Telangana Bill will be delayed till the next General Elections.