AP Appropriation Bill Gets Governor's Assent

AMARAVATI: Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan on Thursday cleared the appropriation bill, which could not be passed in the State Legislative Council. The governor's assent to the bill will now pave the way for the state government to withdraw money for all its expenditure including payment of bills and salaries to government employees. In an unprecedented move, the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council was adjourned sine die on June 17 without passing the crucial Appropriation Bill.  

As per the Constitution, an appropriation bill is deemed to have been passed by the Council if it is not returned to the Assembly within 14 days. With the completion of 14 days, the bill has been sent to the Governor for his assent.

As was alleged, the TDP did not allow the passage of the AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill, 2020, and the AP Capital Region Development Authority (Repeal) Bill, 2020 in the legislative council. The Appropriation Bill that clears the way for the state's annual budget to come into force was also stalled in the process.

As a result of what was widely seen as a deliberate move by the TDP, the government could not pay salaries for its employees. However, the TDP's move to stall the bills in the council, where it has a majority strength, backfired badly as it was widely criticised by all sections of the people in the state. Man saw this as an anti-employee approach of the opposition party, which, they felt, was still unable to digest the humiliating defeat it suffered at the hustings in 2019.