The latest controversy over the Centre’s proposal to invoke Section 8 of the AP Reorganisation Act granting special powers to Governor of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh on administration of law and order in Hyderabad is believed to have little impact on the people of the common capital city.
According to official sources, invoking of Section 8 will neither benefit Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu nor harm the Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
It would only be a political setback for KCR, who will lose control over the Hyderabad police. He won’t have any say in transfer and postings of cops in Hyderabad and Cyberabad commissionerates.
While the Governor would get control over the Hyderabad police administration, it would not give any jurisdictional powers to Andhra Pradesh police in Hyderabad. Andhra DGP will have powers only in 13 districts of AP, while Hyderabad and Cyberabad police commissioners would have to report to the Governor, instead of Telangana government.
However, the Governor would have to consult the Telangana government before taking any decision on the law and order maintenance in Hyderabad. And for common people in Hyderabad, there would be absolutely no difference.
The special powers to Governor would not have any impact on the cash-for-vote scam, as it is being dealt by the ACB and ACB court, which do not come under the purview of Section 8. Even if Governor E S L Narasimhan interferes in the case, he will not allow Chandrababu Naidu to go scot free!
