Government holds its ground on minorities panel term

CHARMINAR: The Telangana government on Tuesday made its stand clear on the State Minorities Commission declaring that its term ended in May 2016 indicating its refusal to pay salaries of staff employed at the minorities panel.
In a 'factual position' note on the SMC which func tions for both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, secretary of the Minorities Welfare Department Syed Omer Jaleel wrote, “As per section 6 (1) of the Andhra Pradesh Minorities Commission Act 1998, the term of the Commission and its members is for a period of three years only.The Minorities Commission was constituted by the government of Andhra Pradesh on 16th May 2013 and its term ended on 18th May 2016 (sic),“ adding that there is no rule which provides for its continuation once the term had ended.
The note also observed that SMC chairman Abid Rasool Khan has filed a case in the High Court seeking the payment of salaries of staff from May 2016 to De cember 2016 -seven months after the term of the commission ended.
The government defended its decision of moving the commission from the large Raghava Sadan complex at Raj Bhavan Road to a much smaller office space.“Such a big premises as Raghava Sadan is not required for a small set of officials, hence it was temporari ly shifted to a premises in Erramanzil. Once a regular commission is constituted it will be located in a suitable accommodation,“ an excerpt from the note reads.
Minorities Commission chairman Abid Rasool Khan recently said that the minorities panel has functioned with less than the sanctioned staff strength and has no vehicle.