Hyderabad: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has granted conditional approval to the State government to conduct its Cabinet meeting, which is now scheduled for 3 PM on Monday. Chief Secretary A Santhi Kumari issued orders in this regard on Sunday.
However, the ECI specified that discussions on the crop loan waiver and the common capital of Hyderabad are prohibited. In a letter to Chief Electoral Officer Vikas Raj, the ECI stated that the meeting could only address matters of an urgent nature that require immediate implementation.
“The Cabinet meeting may only take up matters which are emergent and urgent and cannot wait till June 4. Accordingly, the agenda items regarding the issue of common capital of Hyderabad and crop loan waiver should be deferred till completion of Lok Sabha elections in the State,” the ECI said. Additionally, officials involved in the conduct of the election should not attend the meeting.
The Cabinet meeting, initially scheduled for Saturday, was postponed due to the absence of ECI permission. With the election code in effect, the State government had earlier requested the ECI to permit the meeting, but there was no response until Saturday evening. The earlier agenda included discussions on the crop loan waiver, paddy procurement, planning for the Kharif season, and other farmer-related issues. Additionally, arrangements for Telangana Formation Day on June 2, pending projects under the AP Reorganisation Act, and other matters were to be discussed.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy decided to convene the meeting immediately following the ECI’s approval. “If permission is not accorded by Monday, the Cabinet will approach the Election Commission in New Delhi and seek permission,” Revanth Reddy had said on Saturday. The ECI granted the conditional approval on Sunday.
