Will Not Intervene In AP Capital Issue; Centre Files Counter Affidavit In HC

AMARAVATI: In a significant development, the Union Home Ministry on Thursday filed a counter affidavit in the Andhra Pradesh High Court on the three capitals issue. The Central government, in the affidavit filed before the HC, categorically stated that the final decision on the establishment of state capital is under the purview of the state.

In the counter affidavit, the Union Home Ministry made it clear that the issue of creation of a state capital is a matter within the purview of respective state governments and the Centre has no role to play in the decision on three capitals in Andhra Pradesh. The Centre's counter affidavit was also of the opinion that the bills which were passed by the state legislative Assembly after discussion in the House, would not come under the judicial review of the courts. 

The Union Home Ministry has filed this counter affidavit in connection with a writ petition (20622/2018) filed in the high court challenging the state government's decision to decentralise administration through the creation of executive, legislative and judicial capitals in the state. It said that a committee headed by Sivaramakrishnan was set up in 2014 as necessitated by section 6 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. After conducting a detailed study, the panel submitted a voluminous report on the question of where to come up with the state capital on August 30, 2014. In 2015, the then TDP government declared Amravati as its capital.

On July 31, 2020, the YSRCP government decentralised the administration through a gazette notification. According to the gazette, Visakhapatnam will be developed as the executive capital, Amaravati as legislative capital while Kurnool will be the judicial capital.

Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan on July 31 gave his assent to two crucial bills, the Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of all Regions Bill and AP CRDA Repeal Bill to pave the way for developing the three capital cities. The state government sent the two bills to the governor on July 19, 2020  for his approval.

Following that, the state government issued directions notifying the Amaravati Metropolitan Region Development Authority(AMRDA). The AP government issued orders replacing the APCRDA with AMRDA.