The Union government has taken a decisive step to resolve the long-standing capital issue of Andhra Pradesh by initiating the process to bring a Bill to amend the Andhra Pradesh State Reorganisation Act, 2014. The proposed amendment aims to formally include Amaravati as the capital of the residual state of Andhra Pradesh.
Legal Void and the Path to Legislation
This move comes to fill a significant legal void created by the original 2014 Act. The Act bifurcated the erstwhile state, making Hyderabad the common capital for both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for a period of ten years. However, it did not specify a capital for Andhra Pradesh after this transitional period ended in June 2024. With Hyderabad ceasing to be the common capital, Andhra Pradesh was left without a legally defined capital city.
According to sources, the Union Law Ministry has already granted its approval to the proposal sent by the Andhra Pradesh state government. The next step involves placing the proposal before the Union Cabinet for its nod. Once the Cabinet approves, a draft bill will be introduced in Parliament specifically to amend Section 5(2) of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.
Background: The Three-Capital Controversy
The capital issue gained intense political and public prominence after the previous YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government, which was in power from 2019 to 2024, introduced a controversial three-capital formula. This policy proposed decentralising the capital's functions by having an executive capital in Visakhapatnam, a legislative capital in Amaravati, and a judicial capital in Kurnool.
This plan faced fierce resistance, particularly from farmers in the Amaravati region. These farmers had parted with their agricultural land during the earlier Telugu Desam Party (TDP) regime (2014-2019) for the construction of a grand capital city. The TDP government, under then Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, had made these farmers stakeholders in the ambitious Amaravati project.
Implications and the Road Ahead
The current move by the Centre, following the request of the state government now led by the TDP as part of the NDA, seeks to provide a permanent and unambiguous legal solution. By amending the foundational Reorganisation Act itself, the government intends to settle the capital debate conclusively in favour of Amaravati. This legislative action is expected to have far-reaching implications for the state's administration, future development projects in the Amaravati region, and the rehabilitation of the displaced farmers' interests.
The progression of this Bill through Parliament will be closely watched, as it represents a critical step in defining the administrative future of Andhra Pradesh and honouring the commitments made to the people of the Amaravati region.
