NE NEWS SERVICE
AMARAVATI, JUNE 22
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday called on Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan at the Raj Bhavan in Vijayawada as his government remained in a virtual state of shutdown due to non-passage of the crucial Appropriation Bill.
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The Chief Minister’s Office described the visit as a “courtesy call” after the two-day Budget session of the Legislature that ended on June 17.
Sources said the Chief Minister briefed the Governor on how the Appropriation Bill, that clears the state Budget for 2020-21, was blocked in the Legislative Council by the TDP. Since it is a Money Bill, it would be deemed to have been passed after 14 days. Till then, the government cannot make any expenditure from the coffers.
It was the first time in state history that the Appropriation Bill was not passed. “It is not a Constitutional crisis as such, but the government cannot make any spending till the Bill is cleared. That period will expire on June 30,” sources said.
The issue figured in the talks between the Governor and the Chief Minister, they added. Also, two ministers are set to resign from the state Council of Ministers upon their election to the Rajya Sabha. In the event, two new faces have to be inducted into the Cabinet. But no timeline or dates have been fixed for this, the sources said. The Chief Minister was said to have discussed this also with the Governor.
