Hyderabad: The decks have been cleared for the notification of MLC seats under various categories in Telangana. President Pranab Mukherjee has reportedly cleared the file rectifying inconsistencies in the AP Reorganisation Act which had held up elections to the Council and selection of nominated MLCs in the state.
Of the seven MLC seats under the MLA quota, six will now be filled up but the number of seats under local bodies will go up by three. There will be an increase of one seat each in Karimnagar, Medak and Mahbubnagar.
The Union home ministry took up the issue of inconsistencies in the AP Reorganisation Act with the Centre. The file was sent to the President for rectification and it was approved, it is reliably learnt.
After getting the file from the President, the home ministry will write to the Election Commission for issue of the election notification.
“The President has cleared the file rectifying inconsistencies in the AP Reorganisation Act with regard to MLCs,” Mr B. Vinod Kumar, TRS deputy leader in the Lok Sabha told Deccan Chronicle.
The EC is likely to issue the notification in three or four days. After bifurcation of the state, Andhra Pradesh was allotted 50 MLC seats and Telangana 40. However, there was inconsistency which created problems for the state government.
Seven MLCs elected by MLAs retired on March 29. Section 23 of the Act allocated 14 seats for this category, while the Fourth Schedule of the Act mentioned 15 seats. Similarly, eight MLCs elected by local bodies either retired on March 29 or their term will expire on May 1.
Deputy CM Kadiam Srihari and roads and buildings minister Tummala Nageswara Rao are not members of either House and have to be elected within six months. Srihari has to be elected to either House by July 25 and Mr Rao by June 16.
