The inordinate delay in resolving the problems that arose due to bifurcation of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh continue to impact the two States.
The Telangana government had received the third communication from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on May 29 seeking clarity on the status of Pinapaka, Ashwaraopet and Bhadrachalam constituencies, all reserved for Scheduled Tribes, of erstwhile Khammam district consequent on the merger of seven of the mandals into Andhra Pradesh.
The Ministry had addressed the letter following the clarifications sought by the Election Commission for taking up the matter relating to enhancement of number of Assembly seats in the two successor States in line with the Reorganisation Act.
New constituencies
In line with the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Removal of Difficulties) Rules, 2015, the Centre had agreed to take up the matter relating to enhancement of Assembly constituencies from the existing 119 to 153 in Telangana and from 175 to 225 in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
The Election Commission has addressed a letter to the Union Home Ministry seeking clarity on the discrepancies that arose after merging the seven mandals in AP for determining the exact number of seats including those reserved for the SCs and STs in the two States.
AP clarifies
The Andhra Pradesh government had clarified its position on the placement of these merged mandals in Rampachodavaram and Polavaram Assembly constituencies through a communication to the Union Ministry on March 7. But Telangana is yet to furnish its views on the status of the constituencies, Bhadrachalam in particular where a major portion of the constituency except for the Bhadrachalam revenue village had been merged into the neighbouring State.
File with AP
Senior officials of the Chief Electoral Officer admitted that they could not communicate their views on the issue as required by the Union Ministry so far.
Interestingly, the officials said the file pertaining to the merger of the mandals, the villages covered under them and other details, was with AP government. “We are yet to receive the file that will enable us to clarify our position,” a senior official told The Hindu.