'Govt Has No Right To Enact Law For Three Capitals': Andhra Pradesh HC Asserts Amaravati Is State Capital

Court reminded that the Assembly has no power to make any laws on capital and cannot repeal the CRDA Act.

Andhra Pradesh High Court (Image:ABP Desam)

Hyderabad: The government of Andhra Pradesh, led by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, had to face a setback by the High Court on Thursday.

A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of the High Court Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra issued a landmark decision by cancelling the proposed three capitals project. “Amaravati should be developed as the capital city of the state. Within three months, the plots allotted to the stakeholders should be developed and infrastructure facilities should be created for the plots within three months,” Court said as quoted by Hindustan Times.

“The state assembly has no powers to make any further laws on the capital city. No office should be shifted from Amaravati to any other place,” The reports further quoted the court.

The court said that the capital city should be developed as per the master plan of Amaravati Metropolitan Region Development Authority (APCRDA). The court penalised the government and directed it to pay Rs 50,000 to each of 100-odd petitioners. 

According to the pre-agreement, the government has been directed to complete all the development work within 6 months and hand over the developed plots with all facilities within 3 months to the farmers who have been given land. The High Court bench clearly stated that the land could not be mortgaged for purposes other than capital requirements.

Court reminded that the Assembly has no power to make any laws on capital and cannot repeal the APCRDA Act.

Following the state's bifurcation, the TDP government opted to declare Amaravati the capital of Andhra Pradesh and established a secretariat and a temporary legislature there. A high court was also established.

After coming to power in the 2019 elections, the YSRCP government chose to establish three capitals to assure development in all sections of the state, in separate cities. It proposed Visakhapatnam as the administrative capital, Kurnool as the judicial capital, and Amaravati as the legislative capital.

Farmers in Amaravati had staged a protest in response to the AP government's decision. Meanwhile, three capital bills have been withdrawn by the administration. The court reserved judgment after the arguments in the High Court were completed, and it was announced today.