Telangana Governor holding back 8 Bills even after 5 months

HYDERABAD: It is now five months since the Telangana Assembly passed eight Bills and Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, the final authority to give assent to the Bills has turned blind eye to not one or two Bills, but all eight of them. 

The eight Bills, six amendments to existing laws and two new laws, are neither being sent back, nor are being assented by the Raj Bhavan. 

If the Bills are sent back by the Governor to the government, and the government sends them back even without any amends, the Governor or the President would have to accept and pass them. 

Since sending the eight Bills back would mean a moment of defeat in Tamilisai’s face-off with the Telangana Government, the Governor is adamant about holding them back. 

In her defence, she said that the Bills had to go to the President as per protocol. However, the industrial department said that the Presidential assent was only required in case of a financial amendment. 

Dr Tamilisai claimed, in September, that the bills would be given assent soon. However, even after five months of the Assembly sessions, the Governor is choosing to turn a blind eye to the bills. 

What are the eight bills that were passed?

Seven bills were introduced on September 12 and one bill on September 13. They were passed in the Legislative Council on September 13. 

The Telangana Goods and Service Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2022; 

The Azamabad Industrial Area (Termination and Regulation of Leases) Bill,2022; 

The Telangana Municipal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2022;

The Telangana Public Employment (Regulation of Age of Superannuation) (Amendment) Bill, 2022;

The University of Forestry Telangana Bill, 2022; 

The Telangana Universities Common Recruitment Board Bill, 2022; 

The Telangana Motor Vehicles Taxation (Amendment) Bill, 2022; 

and The Telangana State Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Bill, 2022. 

Chairman of Telangana State Mineral Development Corporation Manne Krishank tweeted, “Madam @rashtrapatibhvn ji,

Article 200 Indian Constitution directs Governor to assent or return Bill

"as soon as possible"

To create Constitutional Crisis, Governor of Telangana is withholding 8 Bills from 5 Months.

Is this celebrating Republic India ?

#UnConstitutionalGovernor.”

The Governor recently told media that she would clear the Bills, but the State Government should first clarify on why it’s not extending basic protocol to the Governor. The impasse between the Government and the Governor doesn’t seem to end anytime soon.