He said he was preoccupied with measures to step up security after the Delhi gang-rape incident.
Shinde said he wanted to send his ministry's recommendation on the petition to the president as soon as possible but then the rape incident took place.
"I had to devote a considerable amount of time to it. I'll take a decision. I'll have to go into details. When the president has sent it again, I have to go deep into the case," he said.
On a query, Shinde said he had not received any report from West Bengal Governor M.K. Narayanan on the clashes between Trinamool Congress and Communist Party of India-Marxist workers and added that central government had no intention of looking at the issue since it was a state subject.
"It is a state subject. Better centre not (get) involved in this," Shinde told reporters here.
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On another query about imposition of president's rule in Jharkhand, Shinde said he had received preliminary reports from Governor Syed Ahmad following recommendation from then chief minister Arjun Munda to dissolve the state assembly.
Shinde said the governor had to assess if anybody could form the government before giving his final report.
On the government's decision on the Telangana statehood issue, Shinde said he had heard the views of eight parties from Andhra Pradesh Dec 28 and announced that a decision would be taken in a month.