Now that the repeal Bill got the assent of the Governor, any future steps of the Jagan Government notwithstanding, Amaravati will be the Capital

On December 27, the Andhra Pradesh High Court questioned the petitioners about the relevance of their petitions about the three-capitals formula of the state government in view of the state Governor giving his assent to the AP Decentralization and Inclusive Development of All Regions Repeal Bill of 2021.

Continuing the hearing on a batch of petitions challenging the two legislations — The Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority Repeal Act, 2020, and the Andhra Pradesh Decentralization and Inclusive Development of All Regions Act, 2020 — a three-member division bench headed by Chief Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra directed the petitioners to fill the note in 10 days.

The present status on record after the YSRCP Government of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy repealing the three Capitals Bill is that Amaravati stands good as the capital of Andhra Pradesh.

Where is the ambiguity? On the floor of the Assembly on November 22, the Chief Minister made clear the intentions of his Government and explained the reasons for the repeal of the Bill. He was unambiguous while presenting the case on the floor of the House.

Legal battles apart, the Jagan Government felt that some people with vested interests are disseminating misinformation ever since the policy was announced to have three Capitals for the residual state of Andhra Pradesh after bifurcation of the undivided Andhra Pradesh State into Telangana and AP. In fact, the Government had informed the High Court just before the repeal bill was moved in the House and sought the consent and subsequently Governor had given his assent to the decentralization repeal bill. Keeping the development in mind, the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday directed petitioners to submit a note on the relevance of the petitions in view of the Governor’s assent.

The main opposition, Telugu Desam Party, however, sponsored an agitation. Farmers of Amaravati marched to Tirupati, promptly drawing the attention of forces supporting the three Capitals move to organize a rally in the temple town to strongly ventilate their point of view.  

In June 2020, the Jagan Government enacted two separate laws, the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development (Repeal) Act aimed at abolishing the authority created by the previous TDP government in 2015 to develop Amaravati as the state capital and the AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Act aimed at establishing three capitals for the state — executive capital at Visakhapatnam, judicial capital at Kurnool and legislative capital at Amaravati. Now that the repeal bill got assent of Governor, notwithstanding any future steps of the Jagan government, Amaravati will be the Capital.

The AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Act, 2020 was meant to have three seats of governance, namely Legislative, Executive and Judicial Capitals. It was initially passed in the Assembly in January 2020 but was then referred by the Legislative Council to a select committee, which was not formed due to the deep discord between the ruling and opposition parties. It was passed in the Legislative Assembly for the second time in June 2020. Further, Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan gave his assent to the relevant Bills in July, 2020.

During course of hearing on the petitions in High Court, the Union Home Ministry has informed the Andhra Pradesh High Court in August 2020 that the capital city of Andhra Pradesh was a matter to be decided by the state government. The Centre has no role in it. An Under-Secretary in the Union Home Ministry, Lalita T. Hedaoo, filed a counter-affidavit in the AP High Court to this effect.

The counter-affidavit mentioned that under Section 6 of AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, the Union Government had constituted an expert committee on March 28, 2014 under the chairmanship of K.C. Sivaramakrishnan to study alternatives for a new capital for the state of Andhra Pradesh.

While this became history with the repeal of the bills in November last, the controversy is still going on as TDP has dreams to get political mileage in the name of supporting the agitation by a handful of farmers of Amaravati area.

It is on record what the Chief Minister said on the floor of the House on November 22, that his Government would bring a “comprehensive, complete and better” Decentralisation Bill. People who believe that Jagan Reddy would not go back on his word have no ambiguity on what is going to happen.

(The writer is Advisor, National Media and Inter State Affairs, Government of Andhra Pradesh. The views expressed are personal.)