Hyderabad: Sparking a fresh row, Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Monday, September 25, rejected the state government’s proposal to nominate BRS leaders Dasoju Sravan Kumar and K Satyanarayana to the Legislative Council under the Governor’s quota.
“My earnest request to the cabinet and the Hon’ble chief minister is to avoid such politically aligned persons to fill up nominated posts under Article 171(5) of the Constitution of India, defeating its objectives and enactment and consider only genuinely eminent persons in the respective field,” she said, in two separate letters addressed to chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, after rejecting the proposal.
The development after the recent tussle between the state government and the Governor over important Bills that included the TSRTC merger Bill in August.
BRS responds
Responding to the Governor’s Article 171(5) citation, Dasoju Sravan said that social work and politics have distinct roles and purposes, “but they are not mutually exclusive.”
“Social workers may engage in advocacy and lobbying to influence policy changes & politicians may work to address social issues through legislation. Social work and politics have distinct roles and purposes, but they are not mutually exclusive. Social workers may engage in advocacy and lobbying to influence policy changes & politicians may work to address social issues through legislation,” he said.
BJP welcomes decision
Welcoming the Governor’s decision, Telangana BJP chief and union minister G Kishan Reddy said that “there is no need to appoint people serving KCR’s family as MLCs in the Governor’s quota.”
Not the first time
This is not the first time that the BRS government’s Governor quota recommendations for the Legislative Council were rebuffed by Governor Soundararajan.
She had rejected BRS leader P Kaushik Reddy’s name in 2021, stating that he doesn’t fulfill the requirements under the Governor’s quota, according to the Constitution of India.
She had also cited pending legal cases against him.
What is Article 171(5)?
The Indian Constitution’s Article 171 talks about the composition of the state Legislative Councils.
It includes provisions and protocols that have to be taken into consideration.
According to clause (5), the members to be nominated by the Governor shall consist of persons having special knowledge or practical experience in respect of such matters as the following, namely: Literature, science, art, co-operative movement, and social service.
Members who fulfill all the required criteria as mentioned above will be eligible to be nominated by the Governor.
