Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka directed officials to expedite the process of drafting the Rohith Vemula Telangana (Prevention of Identity-Based Discrimination in Higher Education) Bill, 2026, and prepare a comprehensive preliminary report outlining the proposed legislation’s procedures and provisions.
Chairing the first meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee constituted to formulate the Bill at the State Secretariat, Mr. Vikramarka said the government was committed to eliminating identity-based discrimination in higher educational institutions and ensuring a peaceful and inclusive environment for students.
Recalling the death of Rohith Vemula at the University of Hyderabad, he said the incident had shaken not only Telangana, but the entire country. He said the proposed legislation was aimed at fulfilling the government’s commitment to creating a discrimination-free education system in universities.
Mr. Vikramarka said that every individual lives with self-respect and that no one suffers because of discrimination.
He instructed the concerned departments to constitute a committee of officials to speed up the drafting process and suggested studying similar initiatives in Karnataka to adopt best practices. The legislation, he said, would be developed through a democratic process involving extensive public consultations across the State.
The Deputy Chief Minister invited suggestions from political parties, public organisations and student groups, stating that the final draft would incorporate feedback received from various stakeholders. After considering all views, the Cabinet Sub-Committee would finalise the draft before placing the Bill before the State Legislature, he added.
To ensure the proposed law withstands legal scrutiny, the government invited Supreme Court advocate and social activist Disha Wadekar as a special guest for consultations. Mr. Vikramarka said her legal expertise and academic background, including an LL.M from Columbia Law School, would help make the legislation comprehensive and legally robust.
Members of the Cabinet sub-committee Duddilla Sridhar Babu, Nalamada Uttam Kumar Reddy and Ponnam Prabhakar participated in the meeting.
Published – July 17, 2026 12:18 am IST
