Government sends back Bill over 'Muslim quota'

Raj Bhavan returned the Telangana Municipalities (Amendment) Bill 2022, one of the two sent back to the state government, because it made provisions for co-option for Muslims in municipalities. Raj Bhavan, according to sources, felt that this provision was unconstitutional and the Governor, as the custodian of the Constitution, could not approve something that violated the statute.

The second Bill that was returned was the Telangana Public Employees (Regulation of Age of Superannuation) (Amendment) Bill, 2022, which sought to extend the services of the Director of Medical Education.

The return of the municipalities Bill, sources explained, was to ensure uniformity across the country that the 74th Constitutional Amendment was made with para IXA, comprising Articles 243P and 243G that provide for the constitution of municipalities, composition of municipalities and even reservation of seats.  There was no provision anywhere in the 74th Amendment for the co-option of Muslims in municipalities.

Sources said that Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundarajan returned the Bill related to the extension of service of the Director of Medical Education because it had ‘misguiding



provisions’.

Raj Bhavan, sources said, noticed that the "retrospective amendment to original Sec. 3 by adding a second proviso automatically implies re-engagement of employees retiring on attaining the age of 61 years and pay their salaries from the date of retirement till re-engagement, or retirement on attaining the age of 65 years, and pay them salaries."

Sources said that these payments, as per the Bill, would be made even though the officials in question may not have discharged even a single day of service from the date of attaining 61 years till the date of re-engagement.

Raj Bhavan, it was learnt, asked how many employees would benefit by the retrospective amendment, and what the financial liability would be on the state exchequer on this count.

Raj Bhavan did not agree with the contention that "due to introduction of Telangana Public Employees (Regulation of Age of Superannuation) (Amendment) Bill, 2022, there would no new item of recurring or non-recurring expenditure from the consolidated fund of the State", terming this statement by the minister for finance as "misguiding."