Decision on SI test postponement after Sabitha returns: Nagender

If the words of Labour Minister Danam Nagender are taken for granted, the controversial Clause 14 F of the Presidential Order of 1975 is likely to be deleted soon.

Mr Nagender's assurance that the Clause 14 F would be deleted soon came before media persons at the state Secretariat after he emerged from a meeting with Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, along with some students’ leaders over the issue.

“After Clause 14 F is deleted, Hyderabad will not be a Free Zone for appointment of police personnel. Once Hyderabad is back in Zone Six it will help locals in the police recruitments,” the Labour Minister said.  

Mr Nagender’s efforts part of the state governments attempts to appease the striking students at the Osmania University Library for postponing the test for Sub-Inspectors’ posts.

Earlier, the Chief Minister had assured the delegation that he would write to the Union government to do away with another Assembly resolution on clause 14 F as the House had already done it in 2010. This information was passed on to the media persons by the minister and the student leader C Govind at a press conference.

Mr Govind said that the Minister also assured that government would work for the said Clause deletion and urged the latter to hold the SI test after the deletion process. The student leader also asked the Minister for postponing the SI test by 45 days.

Mr Nagender replied that the test would be postponed after consulting Home Minister P Sabitha Reddy who is away in New Delhi.

“Once she returned a decision will be taken,” said the Minister.

Mr Nagender is also understood to have appealed to Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy to ensure deletion of the cited Clause.

Keeping the interests and future of the students the government was ready to accept their demand, he said, adding “The government is not rigid.”

Mr Nagender continued, “there should be a give and take policy depending on circumstances.”

Clarifying on the Clause, the Minister asserted that the government had fulfilled the Constitutional obligation by passing a resolution on the Floor of the House for its deletion.