<p>The bill to create a separate Telangana does not require a Constitutional amendment and the new state can be carved out by a simple majority in Parliament.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The Law Ministry has told the Lok Sabha Secretariat that the bill to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh does not require a Constitutional amendment and passage of a simple legislation, as planned, was enough for the purpose.<br /><br />In an opinion rendered to the Lok Sabha secretariat this morning, the Law Ministry has cited Article 3 and 4 (2) of the Constitution to support its view.<br /><br />It also told the Lok Sabha Secretariat that a Group of Minister on Telangana has already gone though the issue before recommending to the Union Cabinet to bring a simple legislation to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh.<br /><br />Article 4 (2) states that "No such law as aforesaid shall be deemed to be an amendment of this Constitution for the purposes of Article 368" which deals with constitutional amendments.<br /><br />As of now, the Bill does not seek to amend the Constitution.<br /><br />The Lok Sabha Secretariat had asked the Law Ministry whether a constitutional amendment was required to create the 29th state of the country. A constitutional amendment requires two-third majority.<br /><br />There was a view in the Lok Sabha secretariat that a constitutional amendment is required to create a Legislative Council in Telangana.<br /><br />"The officials of the Legislative Department of the Law Ministry were involved in drafting the bill. Had there been a need for a constitutional amendment, they would have pointed it then itself," a senior government functionary said here.<br /><br />The Telangana Bill is now expected to be introduced only after the House approves the Vote-on-Account, 2013-14, on February 18, just three days before the last session of the 15th Lok Sabha is supposed to conclude.<br /><br />Earlier, the Rajya Sabha secretariat had flagged the issue that since it was a money bill, it cannot be introduced in the Upper House. </p>
<p>The bill to create a separate Telangana does not require a Constitutional amendment and the new state can be carved out by a simple majority in Parliament.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The Law Ministry has told the Lok Sabha Secretariat that the bill to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh does not require a Constitutional amendment and passage of a simple legislation, as planned, was enough for the purpose.<br /><br />In an opinion rendered to the Lok Sabha secretariat this morning, the Law Ministry has cited Article 3 and 4 (2) of the Constitution to support its view.<br /><br />It also told the Lok Sabha Secretariat that a Group of Minister on Telangana has already gone though the issue before recommending to the Union Cabinet to bring a simple legislation to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh.<br /><br />Article 4 (2) states that "No such law as aforesaid shall be deemed to be an amendment of this Constitution for the purposes of Article 368" which deals with constitutional amendments.<br /><br />As of now, the Bill does not seek to amend the Constitution.<br /><br />The Lok Sabha Secretariat had asked the Law Ministry whether a constitutional amendment was required to create the 29th state of the country. A constitutional amendment requires two-third majority.<br /><br />There was a view in the Lok Sabha secretariat that a constitutional amendment is required to create a Legislative Council in Telangana.<br /><br />"The officials of the Legislative Department of the Law Ministry were involved in drafting the bill. Had there been a need for a constitutional amendment, they would have pointed it then itself," a senior government functionary said here.<br /><br />The Telangana Bill is now expected to be introduced only after the House approves the Vote-on-Account, 2013-14, on February 18, just three days before the last session of the 15th Lok Sabha is supposed to conclude.<br /><br />Earlier, the Rajya Sabha secretariat had flagged the issue that since it was a money bill, it cannot be introduced in the Upper House. </p>