Hyderabad: With the Parliamentary Standing Committee recommending for an increase in number of Assembly seats in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, it’s become a speculative discussion as when will it happen? The Standing Committee has also questioned on why Special Category Status (SCS) was not awarded to AP.
Former union home minister P Chidambaram-led Parliamentary Standing Committee, Home Ministry, in its 220th report highlighted several lapses in implementing AP Reorganisation Act-2014. Moreover, several proposals for expenditure for the welfare of people have been rejected. There’re no fund allocations for Capital City construction at Amaravati. The way Special Package was implemented not benefited the new state. Only Rs1,500 crore were sanctioned as against Rs39,937crore requested by the AP government,” observed the Committee in the report.
The Committee comprising 20 Lok Sabha members and 10 Rajya Sabha members from several parties, has submitted its report to the House.
After the bifurcation, Telangana has been allocated 119 seats, while AP has 176 Assembly seats including one nominated post. If the NDA government gives Parliamentary nod, then the number of seats in Telangana and AP will go up by 34 and 50 respectively. The Centre has to get Parliament approval for amendments to constitutional provisional and the Representation of People Act. For this, Parliament will have to amend Article 170 of the Constitution.
