HYDERABAD: The Telangana government appears to be buying time to appoint the State Election Commissioner (SEC) till Andhra Pradesh’s case in Supreme Court is disposed of. Following the reinstatement of the AP State Election Commissioner by Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan, subject to the final judgement of the Supreme Court, Telangana is waiting and watching. It is following developments in the neighbouring State before taking any decision of its own SEC’s appointment.
As per Article 243K of the Constitution, the Governor appoints the SEC on the recommendation of the State cabinet. The former TS SEC, V Nagi Reddy, was appointed in this fashion. However, when the AP SEC Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar was removed by his State government, he approached the High Court and the Governor issued a fresh order reinstating him. It remains to be seen what the Supreme Court will decide.
The TS government, which is keenly watching the developments in AP, will take the final call on the appointment of the second SEC of the State after the Supreme Court judgement, sources said.Several nominated posts, including that of the SEC have been lying vacant in the Telangana for quite sometime now. The by-elections to vacant seats in local bodies will be conducted only if the SEC is appointed.
As the auspicious Sravana masam has begun, TRS rank and file are expecting nominated posts, vacant for a long time now. Though the government extended the term of chairpersons of some of the Corporations, it did not renew posts in the Beverages Corporation, Tourism Corporation and others. Key leaders who failed to get a Cabinet berth or other plum posts are eagerly waiting for Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s decision.
State Election Commissioner V Nagi Reddy completed his five-year term recently and the post is now vacant. The Chief Information Commissioner’s post will also fall vacant in August. Chief Commissioner Raja Sadaram Soma will retire soon. It remains to be seen if any senior Information Commissioner will be promoted or a new person is given the chance.
Besides, the State government exempted 27 Corporations from office of profit six months ago. Of them, chairpersons of Musi River Front Corporation and others have been filled. The remaining are vacant. Meanwhile, G Deviprasad Rao has completed his term as Chairman of Telangana State Beverages Corporation Limited. The government did not renew his term.
It is anybody’s guess as to whether Deviprasad, a former employees’ union leader, will bag another post. The term of P Bhupathi Reddy as Chairman of State Tourism Development Corporation too is over. TRS leaders are tight-lipped over the nominated posts as it is the Chief Minister who has to take the final call. Chairpersons to the Yadagirigutta and Vemulawada temple trust boards are yet be appointed.