ECI gives conditional permission for convening Telangana State Cabinet meeting

Election Commission of India permits Telangana Cabinet meeting with restrictions, delaying discussions on key issues.

The Election Commission of India has given permission for holding the meeting of the Telangana State Cabinet with certain conditions.

The ECI said, in a communication to the Chief Electoral Officer Vikas Raj, that only those matters which were of an emergency nature and were to be implemented in a time-bound schedule should be taken up during the Cabinet meeting. “The Cabinet may only take up matters which are emergent and urgent and can’t wait up to June 4,” ECI principal secretary Avinash Kumar said.

Accordingly, the issue of the common capital of Hyderabad and crop loan waiver should be deferred till the completion of the Lok Sabha election 2024 in Telangana. In addition, the ECI directed that no State Government officer involved in the conduct of election should be called for the meeting.

The ECI’s conditional permission has come as a setback to the State Government that planned to discuss the pending bifurcation issues with neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. The Cabinet was expected to take stock of the pending issues between the two States and the assurances given to Telangana in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.

Discussion about the modalities for implementing cop loan waiver up to ₹2 lakh was another major item on the agenda of the Cabinet on Saturday which was however adjourned after the ECI did not respond to the State Government’s letter (Dated May 16) seeking permission for holding the meeting of the State Council of Ministers.

The issue assumes significance as Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy was keen that the commitment made by Congress in the run-up to the elections was fulfilled by Aug 15, coinciding with Independence Day. The Government had directed the officials concerned to come up with a road map for the mobilisation of finances that would be required for fulfilling the assurance.