The formation day of the two new states following bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh is likely to be decided at the crucial meeting of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday.
Though both the Houses of parliament have recently passed the A.P. Reorganization Bill, 2014 paving the way for the formation of a Telangana State, the Presidential Order from Rashtrapathi Bhavan is yet to be received by the MHA, which only then can issue a gazette notification announcing the date on which the new States would officially come into being.
Even TRS president K. Chandrasekhara Rao, who met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with a delegation of his party leaders, is understood to have appealed to him for quickly finalizing the formation day of the Telangana State.
Chief Secretary P.K. Mohanty has been summoned by the MHA to be present in the national capital on Wednesday to attend a crucial meeting to discuss the steps being taken to complete various administrative processes involved in the bifurcation of the State. Thus a final date for the Formation Day of Telangana State and that of the residuary state of AP in all probability would be decided after the meeting with the Chief Secretary.
Informed sources indicated that the Union government has to issue a gazette notification announcing the Formation Day or the appointed date for both the new states and this has to be done before the election notification comes out.
During the meeting convened by the MHA, the Chief Secretary is likely to be asked to brief the measures taken by the State administration with regard to administering the two States, maintenance of law and order, conduct of elections in the two new states, distribution of assets and liabilities, transfer and posting of cadres etc. Mohanty is learnt to have gathered all relevant information regarding these aspects and is expected to submit a detailed note to the MHA at the meeting.
Earlier, during formation of three new States of Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and Uttarakhand, the then government had taken three months for announcing the formation Day or appointed date. Since Assembly elections have to be held along with the Lok Sabha polls, if the appointed date comes after three months then the possibility of holding elections in the State looks bleak.
The TRS has been firm in its demand for holding elections in the new States separately. If the Central government succumbs to the TRS demand, then there is no other alternative but to bring the State under President’s Rule and postpone the elections. Thus for the Telangana State to come into being officially and also for holding elections in the two new states, the appointed date or the Formation Day is very crucial and important. Whether an announcement by the Union government to this effect would be made or not will be known only on Wednesday. (NSS)