Andhra Pradesh government lost credibility to hold office, says former SC Judge

Vijayawada: Retired Supreme Court judge Justice V Gopala Gowda came down heavily on the State government here on Saturday stating that it lost its credibility to hold the office. "You cannot continue in office even one day."

Addressing a meeting organised by the Amaravati Parirakshana Samiti to mark the completion of 900 days of agitation demanding continuation of Amaravati as State capital, Gopala Gowda said that the State government is neither appealing in the Supreme Court nor implementing the AP High Court judgement to complete the construction of Amaravati capital city.

The retired judge opined that the government was answerable to people. It would amount to being disrespectful towards judiciary if the HC judgement was not implemented, he averred. Referring to Supreme Court judgement in Ratlam municipality case, he recalled that Justice Krishna Iyer told the government to cut wasteful expenditure if it didn't have funds to clear garbage. "If the government says it has no funds to build capital it should cut its expenditure."

Retired IAS officer T Gopala Rao said that the judgement of the High Court virtually censured the government and it should resign forthwith. He said that it was an excellent judgment covering all aspects in delivering it.

Prof Haragopal said that government is a continuous process and change of leadership should not affect its continuity. Otherwise the government would lose its credibility and also lose confidence of people. Kamalananda Bharati Swamy said that the High Court gave a wonderful chance to the government to come out of the mess it had created.

The Central government should take the initiative to build both Amaravati capital city and Polavaram project. Advocate Unnam Muralidhar Rao elaborated on the legal battle and the unsuccessful attempts of the State government to prolong the case.

Prof Kodandaram, journalist Rajendra and others also spoke.