The state government on Monday decided to opt for the safest way out after being caught in a flux over the question of providing reservations for the Backward Classes in the coming Local Body elections by retaining the existing 34 per cent quota for BC candidates.
The decision to retain the existing 34 per cent quota was taken after a Group of Ministers, comprising of Panchayat Raj Minister K Jana Reddy, Social Welfare Minister Pithani Satyanarayana, and Backward Classes Welfare Minister Basavaraju Saraiah met at the Secretariat to discuss the contentious issue.
The Minister discussed the ‘issue’ threadbare and decided in favour of conducting the cited PR elections, retaining the 34 per cent reservations to the Backward Classes candidates.
Mr Jana Reddy, who briefed the media persons in his chambers later, said that the said quota for BCs would be retained no matter whether 34 per cent quota inclusion would exceed the Apex Court’s ceiling.
Asked whether the Apex Court ruling which specified 50 per cent quota in the local body elections would be jumped, the Minister clarified “We will look into it later.”
Replying to another question, Mr Jana Reddy stated that that the elections will go ahead as schedule.
2011/6/16 5:38:52 Information and Public Relation Minister D K Aruna on Thursday said that the government is willing to conduct the elections for Panchayat Raj institutions, contrary to reports stating that the stay on the polls by a Division Bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court has given the ruling Congress a lifeline.
Talking to media persons after attending the Cabinet meeting at the Secretariat, Ms Aruna asserted that the government was willing to conduct the polls for the PR Institutions, in response to calls for clarifications on the High Court ruling.
Asked to clarify the government stand on the High Court’s recent ruling striking down GO 128 in respect of the quota for BCs, the Minister said that the government was in favour of PR elections in the light of Apex Court’s Order that the ceiling of 50 percent be observed.
Earlier, she made clear that the state Cabinet did not discuss on GO 128 at all. “The government is for polls at any time,” Ms Aruna said.
Meanwhile, official sources say that the government has another month’s time, till July 21, to arrive at a decision to go ahead with the said polls.(INN)
Govt hints at rethink on Ordinance, resorts to double speak on PR polls
2011/6/10 9:38:48 Caught in a quandary whether or not to postpone the elections to the Panchayat Raj Institutions, the state government is resorting to double-speak, as evident from the conflicting statements made by Revenue Minister N Raghuveera Reddy on the issue.
Mr Raghuveera Reddy had categorically stated on Thursday that he was one of the signatories to the draft for approval of an Ordinance which was to be cleared by Governor ESL Narasimhan, but he hinted that the government was having a rethink on the issue on Friday by saying that the elections should be held as scheduled and immediately.
The government’s double speak is evident from its expressed desire to go in for the Ordinance to appoint special officers to the Mandal and Zilla Parishads as there was no sufficient time to notify the Backward Classes Quota' and in the second place, the statement made by the Revenue Minister today.
A minimum of six weeks is required for the process and also inform the Election Commission about the Backward Classes’ Population enumeration which is said to be nearing completion.
Mr Raghuveera Reddy told media persons at the Secretariat on Friday that the said elections should be held as scheduled and immediately.
He went on to clarify that the government was no in mood to inconvenience the BCs (on quota status ) while holding the elections. “Therefore the emphasis is on to hold the elections keeping in view their quota as per the directive of the Supreme Court which mandated the government not to exceed the ceiling of 50 per cent” the Minister said.
The term of Mandal Praja Parishads and Zilla Praja Parishads would come to an end on July 22 and 23 respectively, and the term of the Sarpanches would come to an end in August. The government was expected to notify the BC quota on June 11, which is the deadline set by the Election Commission.
According to sources, the government is wary of conducting the elections as scheduled because of a threat from YSR Congress Party president YS Jaganmohan Reddy, who might organize a repeat of Kadapa by-polls results in the Panchayat Raj polls too.
2011/6/15 9:10:27 Following an appeal made by the A P Sarpanches’ Association over the issue of contentious reservations in the ZPPs and MPPs, a Division Bench of the High Court has granted a ‘stay’ not to conduct the Local Body Elections. The stay was given over the quota system as detailed to the Court by the state government.
The Court also directed that the GO which stipulated the reservation system for the said ZPPs and MPPs be stalled.
With this, the much awaited elections to the Local Bodies have been put under wraps once again by the Ap Sarpanches Association who contended that the cited quota for candidates drawn from weaker sections exceeded the ceiling quota – 50 per cent – as fixed by the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, State Election Commissioner Ramakanth Reddy, who was approached by the media men at the Secretariat on Wednesday stated that the government announced quota details which was furnished to the state High Court became invalid.
Mr Ramakanth Reddy made it clear that the controversial elections would be held only after the government sent a revised list of details related to the reservations for the Local Bodies.
Even as the issue has been dragged to the Court by the Sarpanchaes Association, the N Kiran Kumar Reddy government is said to be engrossed in an ‘exercise’ that might save the skin of the ruling party. \
Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana was also here and held deliberations with the Chief Minister on the issue.
What transpired between them remained as a closed door affair.
Sources indicated that the government may opt for an Ordinance for appointment of Special Officers to the Local Body institutions to tide over the crisis for the present. Another section also signaled that the Court verdict came in handy for the N Kiran Kumar Reddy administration to have a free run till September.
The government in a way found a good alibi to turn the blame to the Court or the Sarpanchas Association to conveniently put off the cited polls.(INN)
2012/1/5 14:46:09 Denying the reports that appeared in a section of media that permission was given to start or expand any distillery, the State Government said that the allegations were baseless and far from truth.
It is not a new practice to give additional quota to produce more after the licensed capacity is exhausted, said a press release from the Chief Minister’s office.
The manufacturers were allowed to produce up to the limit of licensed capacity and beyond that they have to obtain additional production capacity because the licensed capacity was fixed several years ago, the release said.
While the limit was 68.0 lakh PL for 2002-03 it was 82.8 lakh Pl for 2004-05.
The purpose of giving additional production capacities is to prevent mis-match between supply and demand that is likely to lead to illicit distillation and proliferation of illicit liquor, the release said. (INN)
2011/12/24 17:25:21 Welcoming the decision of the UPA Government to give 4.5 per cent quota to Muslim community in jobs and educational institutions, the Telugu Desam Party on Saturday demanded that the Muslims be given separate and should not be included in the OBC quota.
Addressing the media at the NTR Trust Bhavan, party politburo members Yanamala Ramakrishnudu and Dadi Veerabhadra Rao said that the government should hike the OBC quota to 52 percent besides giving separate quota to the Muslim community. They ridiculed the UPA decision to give quota to Muslims from the OBC category as a sign of ‘bankruptcy’ of the Congress-led government.
They alleged that the government has ignored the reports of Sachar Committee and Ranganath Mishra Committee which recommended 10 percent separate quota for the Muslims. They said it was unfortunate that the OBC quota had been slashed from 27 percent to 22.5 percent as result of the Muslim induction at a time when the BC associations and political parties have been demanding a hike from 27 percent to 52 percent on the basis of population in 2011.
The TDP leaders said that the Congress party, both at state level and national level, has always denied justice to the BC’s socially, economically and also politically.
They said that TDP founder N T Rama Rao, as a convener of the National Front and the then Prime Minister V P Singh, provided a special budget for the development of BCs, but the same was cancelled when the Congress party returned to power. They said that the Centre and State had remained silent and blind to the demand of the BC’s for a sub plan budget allocation on the same lines of SC/ST sub plan allocations.
The TDP leaders alleged that the UPA Government was showing step-motherly attitude towards backward class communities and demanded that the Centre should also hike BC quota from 27 to 52 apart from providing a separate quota to Muslims.
The TDP leaders said a separate constitutional amendment may be taken up, if necessary, to provide Muslims a separate quota and to increase the BC quota. (INN)
2012/5/6 8:12:08 Hyderabad, May 6 (INN): The Haj Committee of India on Sunday allotted a quota of 5,764 for Andhra Pradesh for the Haj 2012.
Of 5,764, as many as 1,418 pilgrims have already been declared selected under two reserved categories of 70 plus years and 4th timer applicants. The Qurrah (Draw of Lots) will be held on May 10 to select the remaining 4,346 units, according to SHC Executive Officer Abdul Hameed. This year's quota is 373 less than the previous year.
Meanwhile, the Haj Committee has requested those Haj applicants who did not obtained their cover numbers to contact the Haj Committee office or on Phone No. 040-23298793 during office hours. The applicants can also obtain their cover number on the Haj Committee of India's website www.hajcommittee.com under pilgrims’ information by entering their passport number.
Govt likely to bring in Ordinance to postpone Local Bodies’ elections
2011/6/9 9:22:11 The government is said to have approached the Governor for issue of an Ordinance to postpone the Local Body elections in view of certain irritants cropping up in the system, specifically the quota issue of the Backward Classes.
The Apex Court had already limited the ceiling quota to 50 per cent and in the light of this, ruling the government has been placed in a piquant situation.
According to government sources, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy had already written a letter to Governor E S L Narasimhan in this regard.
The cited Ordinance may be issued any time from now, most probably on June 11. Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy has also held discussions with his cabinet colleagues on the contentious issue.
The term of office of the MPTC and ZPTC will come to an end in July (22 and 23) and that of the Sarpanchas in August (August 22 and 23).
But going by the current pace of developments, the preparedness for the elections could at best be described as ‘tardy’ as the Court has already been moved over the issue of quota to the Backward Classes in the said elections.
There is therefore a possibility of postponing the said Local Body elections.
Following a writ petition challenging the action of the authorities in not implementing the categorisation of reservation for Backward Classes in the Local Bodies’ elections, the Advocate General is filing a counter affidavit on Tuesday to explain the stand of the state government.
Meanwhile, the High Court would hear the arguments next week.
The petition was filed by U Sambasiva Rao. Justice Naushad Ali adjourned the case to Tuesday.
2012/1/27 14:36:46 Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday demanded that the government provide 33 percent reservation for Backward classes in the law making bodies.
Talking media persons after emerging out of meeting convened for empowerment of BCs at NTR Trust Bhavan, Naidu demanded that the government appoint a commission to look into problems being faced by the BCs at the national level. He announced that the TDP would start agitation at the national level to provide 33 percent reservations for BCs in the legislative bodies.
Naidu also demanded that the government should not reduce the 27 percent quota for BCs by providing 4.5 per cent reservation for the minorities. Instead, he said that the minorities should be given separate quota and funds for their empowerment and welfare.
The TDP chief also demanded that the government allot adequate funds in the budget for empowerment of BCs. He took serious note on the inclusion communities in the BCs list without allocating sufficient funds for their welfare and increasing reservation quota. (INN)
2011/6/24 9:04:19 There is more than what meets the eye in the current exercise to upgrade Gram Panchayats into Municipalities and Municipal Corporations.
The N Kiran Kumar Reddy government has a measured motive behind such an exercise to keep in check Kadapa rebel leader and MP YS Jaganmohan Reddy who had been as much anxious to pocket the entire Local Bodies for his onward march.
So far, a dozen Gram Municipalities have been upgraded into Municipal Corporations, spread over in four or five districts, Nalgonda, Khammam Nellore, Mahabubnagar districts. Another three Municipalities, Chittoor, Karimnagar and Ongole, were upgraded into Corporations on Friday.
The decision in respect of the three Corporations had been taken today and the process would be finalized shortly. Perhaps more Gram Panchayats would be converted into either Municipalities or Corporations depending on the modalities and requirements of the local people and the scope based on population, funds position among others.
Earlier, a fortnight ago, Municipal Administration Minister M Mahidhar Reddy had made it clear that such an exercise was in the offing. He had also made it clear that BC quota problem did not arise in respect of Local Body civic polls as the total quota stood at some where 44 percent or so and there was immense scope for more BC candidates to be in the Municipal polls’ fray.
Unlike the Gram Panchayat Raj institutions’ Sarpanches’ irksome quota which stood at 61 percent the Municipalities had a ‘good cushion’ as quoted by the Minister, to accommodate more Backward Classes’ candidates. The Minister had given an inkling over such a development.
The Supreme Court’s ceiling quota is 50 per cent and as challenged by the AP Sarpanches’ Association, the state High Court had stayed the polls for Sarpanches quite recently.
It was misconstrued that the Court’s ruling was a jolt to the N Kiran Kumar Reddy government. Factually speaking, the ruling has been a blessing in disguise.
The Court rather gave a breathing time for state government to consummate its much delayed exercise – Upgradation in respect of Gram Panchayats for which the Kadapa defiant leader had already prepared ‘sufficient’ grounds to repeat the his by-elections landslide victory.
The Congress government/ Congress party more or less faced a piquant situation with party desertions, ‘coverts’ in the Cabinet, some MLAs switching sides plus dissensions in the rank and file.
In this scenario, the time was not ripe at all for the N Kiran Kumar Reddy government to conduct Local Body elections. If at all, the state government did go ahead, the outcome would have been quite dismaying for the Congress.
Reliable sources asserted that the ‘wise’ Chief Minister saw to it that all the top slots were filled up as stipulated with his men, including the APCC chief. And now the ‘current exercise’ was being implemented to counter any enemy and another interesting exercise – Cabinet reshuffle – which is round the corner would come in quite handy for the Chief Minister to emerge as a mature politician.(INN)
The just concluded by polls were by far the most interesting and bitterly contested by polls ever in the state. It is none other than the big separate Telangana issue that was the main reason behind the by polls. For KCR, these polls are a do or die battle. The future of KCR as well as that of the TRS hinges on the results of the by polls.
The exit polls have not exactly pleased KCR. Even the pre-poll surveys reported that the TRS was sure to lose some seats.
According to the exit poll results, the TRS may retain about 10 assembly seats from the 16 that it held before the by polls. Out of the four Lok Sabha seats, the TRS is ahead in two and neck and neck in the third seat. So here also, the TRS is set to lose one or two seats.
The ruling congress is expected to bag anywhere between three and four assembly seats and one Lok Sabha seat. Even the TDP is expected to romp home with two or three assembly seats and one Lok Sabha seat.
The counting will begin at 8.00 a.m. on Sunday and the results will be out in about two hours time, i.e.by 10.00 a.m. Till then the guessing game continues and the leaders are all tensed up.
2012/5/8 7:23:47 Hyderabad, May 8 (INN): The Qurrah, draw of lots, for the selection of pilgrims for Haj 2012 will be held at Haj House at Nampally on Thursday at 10.00 am.
This year the Haj committee of India has allotted a quota of 5,764 units for Andhra Pradesh. Of them, 1,418 pilgrims have already been declared selected under two reserve Categories of 70 plus years along with a companion each and fourth timers. The computerized district-wise Qurrah will be held for the remaining quota, according to SHC Executive Officer Abdul Hameed.
2012/5/6 1:58:24 Ongole, May 6 (INN): Bharatiya Janata Party national secretary Dr K Laxman on Sunday predicted the fall of Kiran Kumar Reddy Government after the by-elections.
Talking to reporters here, Dr Laxman said that the State administration was in bad shape in the State and it would deteriorate further after the announcement of by-elections' results. He said the misadministration and political uncertainty would lead to the collapse of Kiran Kumar Reddy Government after the by-polls.
The BJP leader also alleged that thousands of acres of land belonging to farmers was alienated to the private companies by the successive governments. He said former chief ministers YS Rajasekhara Reddy and N Chandrababu Naidu were two sides of the same fabric and both of them indulged in irregularities to favour private companies. The Comptroller General of India in its recent report has revealed that about 88,000 acres of lands has been alienated to the private companies in violation of the rules, he said.
Dr Laxman announced that the BJP would contest from a majority of 18 assembly seats where by-elections would be held on June 12. While expressing confidence of winning the elections, he said the by-polls would also help the party to guage the sentiments related to separate Telangana and united Andhra Pradesh.
2008/4/16 8:05:13 The election commission has finally drawn up the schedule for the by polls to the seats vacated by the TRS and for Khairatabad where the vacancy has been caused by the untimely death of PJR. The polls will be held on May 29. The nomination process will commence from March 2. The results will be announced on June 1.
So it is going to be a 'really hot' summer this year. The congress party and the TDP have only something to gain but nothing much to lose. The polls are an acid test for KCR as the onus of getting all the MLAs and MPs who resigned recently elected once again rests on him. There is a strong resistance to some of the candidates from within the party.
2012/5/10 9:28:04 Hyderabad, May 10 (INN): The State Haj Committee on Thursday selected as many as 4,346 intending Haj pilgrims from the State for Haj - 2012.
The selection was done through Qurrah, computerised draw of lots, at the Haj House at Nampally. Of 15,328 applicants, the intending pilgrims were selected based on the percentage of Muslim population in each district. It may be mentioned that a total of 1,418 pilgrims have already been declared selected under the reserved categories.
The entire process of Qurrah last for nearly two hours. While Hyderabad got the maximum quota of 981 pilgrims, Srikakulam got the least quota of five pilgrims. The Nellore district had a surplus quota of 23 pilgrims. As against the allotted quota of 154 seats, only 131 applications were received from the district. Similarly, only 44 applications were received from West Godavari district against the allotted quota of 49 pilgrims. The surplus quota of 28 was later distributed among other districts.
While pilgrims from Anantapur would leave for the pilgrimage from Bengaluru, the Gulbarga and Bidar pilgrims would go to Mecca via Hyderabad.
Speaking on the occasion, SHC Executive Officer MA Hameed said that the all the selected pilgrims would be sent a reference number in the next few days. A health card will also be issued to all the selected pilgrims. He said it would be compulsory for the pilgrims to attend the training camps to be organised across the State.
The selected pilgrims will have to deposit the first installment of Rs 51,000 along with their original international passport by June 11. The Haj Committee will announce the date for payment of other installments later.
The Executive Officer informed that the accommodation under Azizia category would cost around Rs 1.20 lakh and under Green Category it would be around Rs 1.30 lakh. However, the final prices would be decided during the Haj Conference to be held in New Delhi on May 22.
The selection of Khadim-ul-Hujjaj (servants of pilgrims) will be done on May 19. The State Haj Committee has received a total of 131 applications. Of them, 30 have already been rejected for technical reasons. On May 19, as many as 20 applicants will be selected as Khadim-ul-Hujjaj.
Urdu Academy director and member of Building Selection Committee Prof SA Shukoor assured that proper buildings would be selected for the State pilgrims. The committee would be visiting the holy city of Mecca from June 4 - 21 to select the buildings for Indian pilgrims.
The crucial by polls in Kadapa and Pulivendula will be held tomorrow. The situation in Kadapa is tense and the election commission has pressed into service a large number of police personnel in all the places in the two constituencies.
DGP Aravinda Rao stated that all arrangements are in place to conduct polls in a free and fair manner. Additional police forces are being brought in from Tamil Nadu and Kerala to be deployed in Kadapa.
TRS chief K Chandra Shekar Rao claims that the state will go to elections early next year. KCR predicted that there world be snap polls to the state assembly in March 2008. Elections are due only in 2009 but even some congressmen do not rule out advancement of polls in the state.
Several film stars are reportedly in the race for Council seats. Among them are yesteryears heroine Vanisree, Veteran actor Krishna, Sri Hari, comedian Dharmavarapu Subramaniam etc. They are reportedly lobbying for being nominated in the Governor’s quota.
The Governor can nominate 12 people for the council through the Governors quota. It is believed that four of the 12 nominees would be drawn from different fields like arts, sports and business etc. The name of Pullela Gopichand is also doing the rounds. The remaining eight nominees are likely to be from the Congress.
2012/4/21 6:43:57 Hyderabad, April 21 (INN): Secondary Education Minister K Parathasarathy on Saturday announced that the State Government will implement the 25 per cent quota for poor students in all private unaided schools as mandated by the Right to Education Act (RTE) and as directed by the Supreme Court.
Addressing a press conference at the State Secretariat, Parathasarathy said that the government would implement the RTE in the State from the ensuing academic year. However, he did not disclose as to how this would be implemented.
It may be mentioned that the private school managements were divided on the issue and some of them have decided to file a review petition in the Supreme Court against the quota orders.
Regarding intermediate first year results, Parathasarathy admitted the performance of students of Telangana region was below the average compared to other region. However, he said that the Sakala Janula Samme, the 42-day general strike demanding Telangana State, could be one of the reasons for bad performance. However, he said that special focus would be given to the Telangana districts from the ensuing academic year.
The minister also informed that the new syllabus would be introduced for the intermediate from this academic year. Further, he said steps would be taken to stop piracy of intermediate text books published by the Telugu Academy.
It’s official. The Congress party has deiced to nominate one artist from the industry to the Legislative Council through the Governor’s quota. This was disclosed by the PCC chief K Kesava Rao in Hyderabad on Thursday.
KK said that the party has decided to give one seat to a popular art from the industry. The party believes that it can boost its image further in the assembly polls if it gives a chance to some glamorous star with mass appeal. Several names are doing the rounds.
However, a final decision has not yet been taken. Sources say that the Congress party is keen to select Chiranjeevi’s brother Nagendrababu for the seat. The final decision however rests with Chiru as far as Nagendrababu is concerned.
Krishnaiah demands 25 pc quota in corporate colleges
2011/6/1 9:24:55
AP State Backward Classes Welfare Association president R Krishnaiah on Wednesday came down heavily on the N Kiran Kumar Reddy government over the plight of the weaker sections students.
Stating that they were not in a position to pursue higher studies due to the exorbitant fees being charged by the corporate colleges, particularly the Sri Chaitanya and Narayana Colleges, Mr Krishanaiah said that these institutions were fleecing even the students coming from the middle classes.
In this regard, he blamed the government for not paying attention to curb the activities of these corporate colleges.
Mr Krishnaiah lamented that, “though the Right to Education Act was introduced which gave 25 per cent quota to the students, the government has failed to pass a GO.”
With this, the colleges were taking undue advantage and were fleecing the innocent students, Mr Krishnaiah stated.
He demanded that the students from poor classes be provided the facility of 25 per cent quota as per the RTE Act.
In a memorandum submitted to Higher Education Minister Parthasarathi at the Secretariat, Mr Krishnaiah urged the government to regulate the fee structure as the colleges were collecting Rs 30,000 from day scholars and for hostel inmates Rs 60000.
He told media persons later that the Minister had agreed to look into the matter and do the needful.
Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday demanded that the government provide 33 percent reservation for Backward classes in the law making bodies.
