Andhra Pradesh cabinet approves abolition of state's legislative council

The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet on Monday approved the abolition of state's Legislative Council. The resolution will now be moved in the state assembly. The council had referred the three-capital bill to the select committee for review.

The resolution will now be moved in the state assembly and adopted for a discussion. However, it is likely to be passed unanimously as the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has announced that it will skip the session.

Earlier today, the cabinet held a meeting in Amravati on the bill. It was chaired by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who had questioned the need for the Upper House of the state legislature last week.

The decision to abolish the council has come after the TDP delayed two bills by the ruling government that sought to create three capitals for decentralising the administration in the council. It may be noted that TDP enjoys an absolute majority in the 58-member legislative council.

In order to dissolve the Legislative Council, the Parliament has to passes a bill to this effect.

"Andhra Pradesh government is expected to follow values of Constitution, unfortunately it has taken an abnormal decision. Legislative Council may be dissolved on other reasons but not on the reason the it sent the bills to a select committee," TDP MP Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar was quoted by news agency ANI.

Kumar further added that "this is not a government, it is YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. It shows there are no constitutional values and no respect for any constitutional bodies."

The chief minister had questioned the need for the council, saying that it was incurring an expenditure of Rs 60 crore every year to the state and that the poor state cannot afford it.