Telangana State may have more good news after SC strikes down parts of T Bill!

While the Centre may have gone out of it’s way to placate the irrational demands of Andhra politicians and incorporate them as part of the AP Reorganization Bill, it is obvious SC may intervene and point these provisions as constitutionally untenable.

The first of these would be Hyderabad as ‘joint-capital’ which seems to provide the oversight of law and order in GHMC to the Governor. As Law and Order is a State subject constitutionally, this provision in the bill is not valid unless there is a constitutional amendment to back this deviation. No constitutional amendment is attempted and by the time Supreme Court intervenes and delivers judgement, there would hardly be any motivation for Congress and BJP to try for an amendment which needs 3/4 majority in Parliament. Even the demand from Capitalist Andhras then for Hyderabad to be made as UT would not get the little backing it has now as the common Andhras would be more focused on their new capital city in Andhra with the tremendous financial backing and tax incentives Centre has provided. Hyderabad would emerge as the unconditional capital of Telangana without the embarrassing ‘rule’ of an eccentric governor.

The second casualty could be the special river board authorities bill proposed eroding Telangana’s upper riparian rights and making it a permanent hostage of Andhras’ tantrums over usage of river waters. This would happen only if the Telangana State shows a dogged determination in fighting this structure which no other State has and asking why it can’t just follow the water tribunals already in place. A successful appeal would mean Telangana would get back it’s rightful advantage of upper riparian State.

It needs to be understood that while SC can strike unconstitutional parts, there is no chance it would ‘stay’ the Telangana bill in itself as statehood is in itself is constitutional and the power of legislature regarding this can’t be questioned.