Hyderabad: The Telangana Legislative Assembly is gearing up for its monsoon session, which is likely to be held in the second week of August. Despite the government’s decision not to introduce any new bills during this session, the constitutional requirement of convening the assembly every six months will be upheld.
This move comes after recent disagreements between the government and Governor Dr. T. Soundararajan over the approval of government bills.
Sources indicate that instead of introducing new bills, the focus will be on presenting amendment bills to modify existing laws. The government has experienced some setbacks in the legislative process, leading to a cautious approach in this session.
While there were initial plans to introduce a new sports policy, the primary emphasis will be on amending laws related to social welfare, forest, education, and municipal administration departments.
Over the past year, the governor has raised objections to several bills proposed by the government. These include the bill to establish a common recruitment board for appointments in government universities, the Private Universities Bill, and the Municipal Laws Amendment Bill. The bill seeking to increase the retirement age of medical professors also faced scrutiny from the governor. In response, the government has yet to provide clarifications and address the concerns raised.
The decision to forgo new bills in favour of amendments stems from the recent challenges faced by the government. Despite the usual practice of introducing 10-12 new bills annually, this year has seen a significant reduction in new legislative proposals, with only five bills being presented in 2023.
The upcoming monsoon session before the elections holds significant importance, as it provides an opportunity to address pressing issues and engage in debates. While the focus will be on amendments rather than fresh legislation, it is expected that the session will facilitate productive discussions on matters of public interest.
