A key turning point in the AP capital case.. Center’s affidavit in the Supreme Court

Another important development has taken place in the affairs of Andhra Pradesh state capital. The central government has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court that Amaravati has been declared as the capital of AP as per the provisions of the Vijabhan Act. It is known that the Jagan government has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the verdict given by the AP High Court on the matter of continuing Amaravati as the capital. Against this backdrop, the central government has filed a counter affidavit in the Supreme Court.

According to Sections 5 and 6 of the AP Partition Act, matters related to the capital have been mentioned. Following Section 6, retired IAS officer Sivaramakrishnan has appointed a committee, the Center said. According to the suggestions and recommendations contained in the report of this committee, the state government notified Amaravati as the capital on April 23, 2015, the Union Home Department said in the counter affidavit. According to this, the Center has brought the Capital Territorial Area Act- APCRDA.

In Section 94 of the AP Partition Act, money should be given for the construction of important urban infrastructure in the capital, including Raj Bhavan, High Court, Secretariat, Assembly and Council. To that extent urban development sanctioned Rs. 1,000 crores together with the total Rs. 2,500 crores has been released by Under Secretary Shyamul Kumar Bit on behalf of the Union Home Department.

However, the Center said that in 2020, the state government repealing CRDA, deciding Visakhapatnam as the executive capital, Amaravati as the legislative capital, and Kurnool as the judicial capital, proposed 3 capitals. The Center has brought to the notice of the Supreme Court that the state government did not consult with them before making these laws.

The Center said in the counter affidavit that after that the state government said that it has withdrawn these two laws.. There is nothing more to answer in this matter. Along with the counter, the Center has attached copies of the appointment of the Sivaramakrishnan Committee, the report and recommendations given by the committee, documents related to Section 5, 6, 94, and the CRDA Act 2015 declaring Amaravati as the capital. In this context, the Supreme Court will hold a hearing on the issue of AP capital on 23rd of this month.