Violent protests have taken place in Andhra Pradesh An official report on whether India should create the new southern state of Telangana has been submitted to the government.
The government will make the report public after holding talks with major political parties on 6 January, a senior federal minister said.
Andhra Pradesh, from which Telangana would be carved, saw protests for and against the new state this year.
The final decision to create a new state lies with the Indian parliament.
But the state assembly must pass a resolution approving the creation of Telangana.
In February, the government decided to set up a committee headed by an ex-chief justice of the Supreme Court of India, BN Srikrishna, to examine the demands for the new state.
Mr Srikrishna handed over his report to federal Home Minister P Chidambaram on Thursday.
Mr Chidambaram said he would hold consultations with eight recognised political parties of Andhra Pradesh on 6 January after which the “report will be made public”.
“That is the only way in a democracy and those who respect democracy must also respect the process of democracy,” Mr Chidambaram said.
Fearing fresh violence in the state after the publication of the report, the government has appealed to the people of Andhra Pradesh to stay calm.
Correspondents say there are deep divisions within political parties over the Telangana issue.
In December last year, India’s Congress party-led government promised that the new state would be formed but later said more talks were needed.
Parties are split on the issue.
Congress is also in power in Andhra Pradesh.
The announcement prompted widespread protests in the state, and a student committed suicide in support of the formation of Telangana.
Opponents of the move are unhappy that Hyderabad, home to many major information technology and pharmaceutical companies, would become Telangana’s new capital.
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