1975 Presidential Order – Article 371D in Telangana Movement
The 1975 Presidential Order issued under Article 371D of the Indian Constitution played a historic role in the Telangana Movement. It was introduced by the Government of India with the intention of addressing long-standing grievances in Telangana regarding employment, education, and fair representation in state services. The order, passed in 1975 during Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s government, aimed to ensure equitable opportunities for the people of different regions of Andhra Pradesh through a system of local preferences, often known as “localisation of services and education.”
Background to the Presidential Order:
The Telangana region had been facing socio-political unrest since the merger of Hyderabad State with Andhra State in 1956, leading to the formation of Andhra Pradesh. The Gentlemen’s Agreement of 1956, Mulki Rules, and later movements such as the 1969 Telangana Agitation highlighted concerns about unfair treatment of Telangana in employment and education. Despite earlier safeguards, people in Telangana believed that government jobs and educational opportunities were being cornered by people from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema.
In response to these agitations, the Government of India brought in Article 371D through the 32nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1973, and issued the Presidential Order in 1975. This order attempted to provide a legal and constitutional framework for balanced development and equal opportunities.
Objectives of Article 371D:
- To ensure equitable distribution of government jobs among different regions of Andhra Pradesh.
- To provide fair opportunities in educational institutions across regions.
- To remove regional disparities and grievances in recruitment and admissions.
- To safeguard the rights of Telangana people in employment and education.
- To establish mechanisms for resolving disputes related to service matters.
Main Provisions of the 1975 Presidential Order:
The Presidential Order under Article 371D contained several important provisions that changed the structure of government services and educational admissions in Andhra Pradesh:
- Local Cadres: The state was divided into various local cadres for government services, ensuring that a certain percentage of posts were reserved for local candidates.
- Reservation in Education: Admissions in state universities and colleges were regulated to ensure equitable distribution of seats among students from different regions.
- Administrative Tribunals: Special tribunals were created to address disputes related to service matters under this order.
- Employment Safeguards: Direct recruitment to lower-level posts was confined to local candidates, protecting the interests of Telangana youth.
- Zonal System: Andhra Pradesh was divided into zones to implement the policy of localisation. Each zone was treated separately for recruitment and education.
Impact on Telangana:
The 1975 Presidential Order had a significant impact on Telangana. On the positive side, it assured locals of fair opportunities in government jobs and admissions to educational institutions. Many Telangana students and unemployed youth benefitted from the local cadre system. It reduced, to some extent, the dominance of non-locals in Telangana jobs.
However, the order also faced criticism. The zonal system often diluted the safeguards promised to Telangana in the original Gentlemen’s Agreement. Many argued that merging Telangana with larger zones allowed non-locals to continue benefiting at the expense of Telangana youth. This became one of the reasons for continued dissatisfaction, eventually fueling the renewed Telangana statehood movement in the 2000s.
Criticism and Limitations:
- The implementation of the order was inconsistent, leading to continued disputes between regions.
- The definition of “local candidate” was often misused, leading to recruitment of non-locals in Telangana posts.
- The zonal system merged Telangana districts with coastal districts, weakening the specific protections demanded by Telangana.
- Judicial interventions and political pressures weakened the spirit of the order.
- Instead of ending agitations, the order gave rise to fresh controversies about fairness and regional balance.
Role in Telangana Movement:
The Presidential Order became a double-edged sword in the Telangana movement. While it was designed to bring equity, its partial and flawed implementation left Telangana people dissatisfied. Leaders in Telangana argued that the safeguards were not sufficient and were bypassed through administrative loopholes. The continued denial of full justice in jobs and education kept the flame of the Telangana statehood demand alive.
In later years, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s, violations of the Presidential Order were frequently cited by Telangana activists as proof of systemic injustice. Even during the final statehood agitation (2001–2014), the non-implementation of Article 371D protections was one of the main arguments for a separate state.
Significance in Indian Constitutional History:
The 1975 Presidential Order under Article 371D holds a special place in Indian constitutional and political history. It showed how the central government used constitutional amendments and presidential powers to manage regional disparities. Though it could not fully resolve the Telangana question, it highlighted the need for sensitive handling of regional demands within a federal framework.
Conclusion:
The 1975 Presidential Order under Article 371D was a milestone in addressing regional imbalances in Andhra Pradesh. It sought to protect Telangana’s rights in employment and education through the localisation system. While it achieved partial success, its shortcomings and misuse deepened the sense of injustice in Telangana. Ultimately, the limitations of this order became one of the key reasons for the continuation of the Telangana movement, which finally resulted in the formation of Telangana state in 2014.