Andhra Pradesh Assembly Passes Jagan Reddy Govt's Resolution To Dissolve State Legislative Council

The Andhra Pradesh assembly has passed the state government's resolution to dissolve the legislative council or the upper house in the state's bicameral legislature, where the ruling YSR Congress is in a minority. The assembly will now send the resolution to the Central government. The decision will need a signoff from the central government and parliament. Earlier, the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led Andhra Pradesh cabinet has set in motion the process with a resolution to abolish the legislative council. 

Last week, the legislative council had blocked Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy's pet project of decentralising the capital and setting up three capitals for Andhra Pradesh. Two more bills had been blocked by the council, where the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) of N Chandrababu Naidu is in a majority.

The YSR Congress has just nine members in the 58-member Legislative Council. With 28 members, the TDP has an upper hand. The ruling party has to wait till 2021 to improve its score; several opposition members are scheduled to retire at the end of their six-year term.

Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council Chairman M A Sharrif on January 22 referred two bills to a select committee - the Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill, 2020, and the AP Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) Act (Repeal) Bill -- for deeper examination.

The chairman had said he was using his discretionary powers under Rule 154 while referring the Bills to the select panel following the TDP's demand.