The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay Centre’s notification for bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh to create Telangana, saying that no interim order can be passed at this stage. The new State will come into effect from June 2.
A Bench headed by Justice H l Dattu, however, agreed to examine the constitutional validity of Centre’s decision forming Telangana on August 20. On the next date, the court will examine whether the matter needs to be heard by a three-judge bench or a constitution bench with five or more judges.
The petitioners include former CM of Andhra Pradesh Kiran Reddy and other MPs and MlAs opposing the decision of bifurcation as unconstitutional. They argued that the Centre did not have the mandate of the State Assembly to form a new State. While the Centre formed Justice Srikrishna Commission, to study aspects for forming Telangana, gave six solutions and recommended any move to bifurcate must be preceded with wide consultation that never took place.