Centre in hands-off mode on 3 capitals

New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday refused to be dragged into the 'three capitals' controversy stating that the matter was sub-judice as the Government of Andhra Pradesh had filed a Special Leave to Appeal (civil) against the judgment of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh in the matter.

This was stated by the Union minister of state for home affairs, Nityanand Rai in the Rajya Sabha in reply to a question of YSRCP MP V Vijayasai Reddy in this regard.

The minister stated that as per Section 5 and 6 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, the Central government constituted an Expert Committee to study alternatives for a new capital for the state of Andhra Pradesh and sent its report to Government of Andhra Pradesh for necessary action.

"The government then issued an order on April 23, 2015, notifying the Capital city of 'Amaravati'. Subsequently, it enacted the AP Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) (Repeal) Act, 2020 and Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of all Regions (APDIDAR) Act, 2020, which provided that there shall be three Seats of Governance in the State of Andhra Pradesh viz. Amaravati as Legislative Capital, Visakhapatnam as Executive Capital and Kurnool as Judicial Capital," the minister said.

"While enacting these Acts, the state government has not consulted the Central government. Thereafter, GoAP enacted Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Repeal Act, 2021, repealing APCRDA (Repeal) Act, 2020 and APDIDAR Act, 2020. Now, GoAP has filed a Special Leave to Appeal (civil) against the judgement of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh in the matter. Presently, the matter is sub-judice."

The issue has drawn the attention of the people and Opposition once again due to the announcement of the Chief Minister, Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, recently at New Delhi at a business preparatory meet of an investors' summit to be held at Visakhapatnam soon. The CM has proclaimed that the Capital would soon be shifted to Visakhapatnam and invited the investments.