[1]Hyderabad: A debate currently going on in political circles is that after the state’s division, would top Seemandhra leaders like TD chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, Union minister K. Chiranjeevi, TD leader and actor Balakrishna and others be eligible to contest in their own Seemandhra state?
According to the Constitution, for one to contest from a state Assembly seat, he or she must be a voter of that particular state. However, Naidu and other prominent leaders have been voters of Hyderabad city for a long time.
Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, YSR Congress honorary president Y.S. Vijayalakshmi and president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and others have their votes in their own constituencies.
Unless Seemandhra leaders, who have their votes in Hyderabad, transfer their votes to Seemandhra state, can they contest from their own state?
While some of the leaders have said that they will transfer their votes, legal experts say that they can contest from Seemandhra despite being voters of Hyderabad.
Former central election commissioner K.J. Rao said that with Hyderabad being the joint capital for 10 years, those with votes in Hyderabad can contest from Seemandhra in the elections.
However, after 10 years, Seemandhra leaders settled in Hyderabad will have to transfer their votes to Seemandhra state if they want to contest from that state.
Many Seemandhra leaders have settled in Hyderabad and have permanent residences and properties here. Chandrababu Naidu, Chiranjeevi, Balakrishna, Dasari Narayana Rao, Murali Mohan, Tamil Nadu Governor K. Rosaiah and others who belong to Seemandhra have settled in Hyderabad.
Telangana political leaders meanwhile say that after 10 years when these leaders transfer their votes to Seemandhra they are free to stay at Hyderabad, but they will not be treated as citizens of Telangana because they will not be voters of the state.
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[1] http://archive.asianage.com/chiranjeevi650jpg-209