Telangana Govt Moves Supreme Court Against Governor Over Pending Bills

The state government informed the Supreme Court in a writ petition that 10 bills are still pending at Raj Bhavan.

Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan ( Image Source :ABP Desam )

The Telangana government moved the Supreme Court seeking to direct Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan to give assent to government bills that were pending with her, on Thursday. 

In a writ petition, the state informed the Supreme Court that 10 bills are still pending at Raj Bhavan. Three bills were forwarded to the governor last month for her approval, whereas seven bills have been pending since September 2022.

In the petition, the State government said that Bills like Common Recruitment Board Bill, Motor Vehicle Tax Bill, Private Universities Bill, and Agriculture University Amendment Bill are pending with the Governor. A Bill to upgrade a forest college and research institute in Mulugu to a forest university, the Azamabad Industrial Area Bill, and some other Bills are also awaiting Governor's approval.

The Union Law Ministry and Secretary to the Governor have been made respondents in the case.

This is the second time that the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has knocked on the court's door against the Governor.

Last month, the government moved the Telangana High Court, seeking direction to the governor to give her approval to the state budget for 2023–24. The court, however, had advised that both sides sort out the issue amicably.

 Both the Telangana government and Raj Bhavan had agreed to a compromise formula. While the government agreed to begin the budget session of the legislature with the governor's speech, the latter came forward to approve the budget.

 In November, the governor dismissed the allegations by BRS that her office was sitting on some bills forwarded by the state government for her assent. She stated that she is taking time to assess and analyse the bills before giving her consent.

 Education Minister P. Sabitha Indra Reddy had subsequently met the Governor to clarify her doubts on the Common Recruitment Board Bill.

 (With IANS inputs)