Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s request to the Central Government seeking steps to recover money from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh for utilising the assets belonging to Telangana has caught the officials by surprise.
They have a reason as the Chief Minister’s request to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah comes against the backdrop of Section 5 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 which says Greater Hyderabad Muncipal Corporation (GHMC) will be the common capital for the two Telugu States for a period not exceeding ten years. Andhra Pradesh Government headed by Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has no doubt handed over the possession of portion of Secretariat allocated to it to the Telangana Government paving the way for the construction of the new complex.
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However, the joint capital status of the GHMC will remain till June 1 this year till the completion of 10 years from June 2, 2014 the appointed day for the formation of Telangana State. According to Section 8 of the Act, the Governor had been entrusted with the special responsibility for the security of life, liberty and property of all those who reside in the State. The Governor in particular was vested with the responsibility of management and allocation of government buildings in the common capital area.
Officials cited proceedings on June 2, 2019 when the then Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan instructed the Telangana Government to set apart two buildings, one for the Police Department and another for all other Departments which would be allocated for the exclusive use of the neighbouring State Government.
Mr. Narasimhan has requested the State Government to waive outstanding claims of property tax and public utility charges charged on the A.P. Government in possession/use of the two buildings. “Section 5 of the Act and Section 8 dealing with the law and order related issues continue to remain in force,” said a senior official who is in the know of the developments after A.P. handed over the Secretariat to Telangana.
Students from the neighbouring State were being treated as locals in admissions to educational institutions and this facility would continue till June 1. The Telangana Government had however refused to implement the rule of reservation for A.P. students in the institutions, medical colleges in particular, set up after 2018 and the High Court too upheld the decision.
