Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu has conveyed that the Centre would be ready to amend the Constitution of India if necessary for increasing the number of Assembly seats in both Telangana and AP.
Speaking to media persons in Delhi on Wednesday, he said that the Attorney General of India and constitutional experts differ on whether to amend the Constitution or not.
“AGI feels that amendments are needed but experts say it is not necessary.”
He said he had raised the issue with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday morning and that a Cabinet note was being prepared for it in the meantime.
Later in the day, Rajnath Singh told media persons that it is possible that a bill for increasing the number of seats would be introduced in Parliament before the conclusion of the budget session on April 12.
As of now, there is no way the number of seats could be increased unless an amendment to Article 170 (3) of the Constitution of India is made, though AP State Reorganisation Act, 2014 has provisions for increment. Article 10 (3) prohibits delimitation of Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies till 2026.
It is a known fact that both the Chief Ministers have been encouraging large-scale defection of Opposition MLAs in their respective states. They have assured both the newcomers and old timers of the party that everybody will be accommodated in the next elections as Assembly seats were going to be increased.
The AP State Reorganisation Act, 2014 provides for an increase in seats in the Assembly from 175 to 225 in AP and from 119 to 153 in Telangana. Hoping that the number would go up, the Telugu Desam Party has admitted quite a number of legislators from YSRC into its party fold, promising them party tickets in the 2019 Assembly elections