Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Finance and Legislative Affairs Minister Yanamala Rama Krishnudu said creating or abolishing Legislative Councils is the prerogative of the state government and the centre cannot interfere in the issue.
Reacting to a circular sent by the Centre before the State bifurcation on uniformity of Legislative Councils in the country, Mr Yanamala quoting articles 168 and 169 of the Indian constitution, said, “Parliament may by law provide for the abolition of the Legislative Council of a state having such a council or for the creation of such a council in a state having no such council, if the Legislative Assembly of the State passes a resolution to that effect by a majority of the total membership of the Assembly and by majority of not less than two thirds of the Assembly present and voting.”
Mr Yanamala said that, just like it is mandatory in the Parliament at the Centre to have two houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, it is mandatory to have two houses at the State level too. He said Legislative councils are created according to the constitution and they are part of federal structure. It is not correct on the part of the Centre to take a decision on the issue of whether Councils should continue or not, said the minister.
