AP Assembly passes resolution to abolish Legislative Council

Tribune News Service

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Hyderabad, January 27

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy today initiated a move to abolish the Legislative Council in the state by getting a formal nod of the state Cabinet.

Just as soon as the special session of the Andhra Vidhan Sabha started, the Chief Minister moved a resolution to abolish the Legislative Council.

The move was passed by the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) legislators in the absence of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the major opposition party in the House, which boycotted the session in protest against moving the state capital from Amaravati to three places, namely Vizag, Vijayawada and Kurnool.

The YSRCP Government is making an all-out attempt to abolish the AP Legislative Council to overcome the obstacles from opposition TDP that has a majority there and can obstruct business in the Vidhan Sabha as it has done in case of the three capital Bill by referring it to a select committee.

The resolution of the Andhra Pradesh Vidhan Sabha will now be sent to the Centre and tabled in Parliament. Since YSRCP is not an alliance partner of the BJP and the saffron party has, in turn, allied with the Jana Sena led by Pawan Kalyan, an actor turned politician, only time will tell if the Parliament approves the resolution.

All legislative business that has been blocked by the legislative council will not be taken up in the Vidhan Sabha where the YSRCP occupies 151 out of 175 seats, TDP 234 and Jana Sena 1. After getting the Bills passed there, these will be sent to the Union Home Ministry for approval in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The Bill will have to be cleared by both Houses of Parliament before it can be sent to the President of India.