Telangana cabinet expansion unlikely before February

The expansion of the Telangana state Cabinet is likely to take longer than expected. And, if sources are to believe, it won’t even happen in January. Thanks to model code of conduct being in vogue due to Gram Panchayat elections, the Assembly is unlikely to convene this month and hence MLA-elects cannot be administered their oaths.

Sources within the State Election Commission inform Express that the Cabinet expansion, if done before polls, could influence voters. SEC permission would be required to convene the Assembly session as well. Earlier, it had been speculated that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had planned the exercise after Sankranthi, on January 16 or 17.

However, experts say that SEC cannot restrict Constitutional obligations such as the formation and expansion of Cabinet and summoning of legislature. Transfer of IAS and IPS officer, another key function of a newly-election government, cannot be taken up either. Thus, three key functions of the government have been kept pending due to the model code.

Meanwhile, SEC’s stance on the issue had come as a shock to the State government.“The SEC has no business in these matters. When the Election Commission of India cannot stop the government from expanding a Cabinet or summon legislature, how can the SEC stop us,” said one source in the government.

State Election Commissioner V Nagi Reddy was unavailable for comment.

The MCC for Gram Panchayat elections will be in force till January 30. The expansion of Cabinet and presenting the vote-on-account Budget will thus take place in the first or second week of February, before the announcement of the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections, source said. Also, the distribution of Bathukamma sarees and Rythu Bandhu cheques cannot be allowed to continue till the polls are over, said sources.