The Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu has made a statement that the state government would be initiating measures in a day or two for taking over Sakshi media house owned by YSR Congress party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy.
Yanamala Ramakrishnudu
This has naturally raised many eyebrows while also triggering a debate as to whether the TDP and Chandrababu Naidu government really possess the powers to fully take over Sakshi daily and television channel. It is all set to invoke the Andhra Pradesh Special Courts Act, 2015.
TDP
This was passed by the state assembly last year which got the Presidential Assent recently in May 2016. This act gives government the powers to confiscate the ill-gotten assets of the public servants. However, there are also certain legal clauses that restrict such a takeover.
State assembly
It also envisages constitution of Special Courts for fast trial related to financial frauds. Now it has to be seen whether this act is applicable to Jagan, as he was never a public servant when establishing Sakshi. From his end, Jagan has already condemned the whole process.
