President approved dissolution of Andhra Pradesh Assembly

Pranab Mukherjee, the President of India on 29 April 2014 approved dissolution of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly and a fresh proclamation of Central Rule in the state. This move of the President has granted a period of two months to the central government before approaching the Parliament for the mandatory ratification of President’s Rule in the state.

This nod of the President came after the Union Cabinet on 25 April 2014 recommended dissolution of the Assembly of Andhra Pradesh and extension of the President’s rule there beyond 30 April 2014. This decision was made following the submission of a report by the Andhra Pradesh governor ESL Narasimhan to the centre about the prevailing situation in the state. This meet was cared by Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh.

On 1 March 2014, the President’s rule was imposed in Andhra Pradesh after the Chief Minister of the state, N Kiran Kumar Reddy resigned from his office. His resignation from the office came after the nod of the Parliament for bifurcation of the state to create Telangana State.

Article 356 section 3 of the Constitution says that every Proclamation under this article shall be laid before each House of Parliament and shall, except where it is a Proclamation revoking a previous Proclamation, cease to operate at the expiration of two months unless before the expiration of that period it has been approved by resolutions of both Houses of Parliament.

Article 356 of the Constitution lays Emergency Provisions as provisions in case of failure of constitutional machinery in States.