T Bill gets President’s nod, likely to be tabled on February 13

President Pranab Mukherjee has given his nod to the much-talked about Telangana Bill, but suspense still prevails over the timing of its introduction in Lok Sabha.

While the expectation in the Union Home Ministry is that the Bill could be brought in on Thursday, February 13, Lok Sabha’s Business Advisory Committee (BAC) saw pleas for taking up the contentious measure only after February 18.

“The Bill will not come up before Lok Sabha tomorrow due to the presentation of the rail budget,” sources said.

A meeting of the BAC on Tuesday saw several political parties underlining the need for passing the interim railway and general budgets first before taking up the Bill which seeks to carve out a new state from the territory of Andhra Pradesh.

The Bill is now expected to be introduced only after the House approves the Vote-on-Account, 2013-14, on February 18, just three days before the last session of the 15th Lok Sabha is supposed to conclude.

However, opposition leaders said that the government did reveal its thinking on the contentious Bill.

While the Vote-on-Account for railways is to be tabled tomorrow and passed after a discussion on Thursday, the Vote-on-Account (General) has been slated for Monday to be followed by a debate and its passage the next day.

Reports earlier had stated that contrary to expectations, the Telangana Bill will be introduced in Lok Sabha first instead of in Rajya Sabha with the government having sought a fresh recommendation from the President after the Upper House secretariat held it as a money bill.

Earlier, it was being said that the Bill would be taken up by Rajya Sabha today.

The Bill was approved by the Union Cabinet on Friday, notwithstanding its rejection by the Andhra Pradesh state Assembly.

As per the plan, Telangana will comprise 10 districts while the rest of Andhra Pradesh would retain 13 districts.

Hyderabad is to be the common capital for both states for a period not exceeding 10 years.