Jaganmohan Reddy's contentious three capital bills get Andhra Pradesh Governor's nod

In a major impetus for chief minister Jaganmohan Reddy’s plans of constituting three capitals for Andhra Pradesh, the state’s governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan assented to the capital decentralisation bills on Friday.

The Reddy government had, in January, introduced two bills in the legislature - one to strip the Amaravati region of its capital status and other to set up three capitals for the state – the executive at Visakhapatnam, legislative capital at Amaravati and judiciary at Kurnool.

The much contentious blueprint is being opposed by the principal opposition TDP and other parties.

The Amaravati locals especially the region’s farmers are in an agitation mode since 17 December, when Reddy announced his intention to dismantle former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s plans of a world class, mega capital in the Guntur district.

The Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions bill, 2020 and another one to repeal the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority Act, 2014 were approved by the assembly on 20 January where the ruling YSRCP holds a huge majority.

But the bills were referred to a select committee for further deliberations by the chairman of the council where the opposition TDP holds sway. Given the YSRCP’s disapproval, the committee could not be established.

The bills were again passed by the assembly on 16 June during the short duration budget session. After a month’s time elapsed, the YSRCP government sent the bills for the governor’s nod, under the provisions of Article 197 of the constitution. The state head’s nod came now.

Telugu Desam Party chief Naidu termed the Governor’s nod for the bills as “a historic blunder.” “Who else would do justice to AP’s people, when the Constitutional head of the state takes such an unlawful decision in violation of the AP Reorganization Act 2014. This is a 'black Friday' in the history of Andhra Pradesh,” Naidu lamented.

Though the governor’s consent allows the enactment of the act thus clearing the legislative hurdle, the Reddy government still has to face the legal hurdles in the form of cases in the Andhra Pradesh high court challenging the three-capital move.

And given the alarming Covid-19 pandemic situation in the state, where over 1.4 lakh cases are registered, analysts are unsure when the capital shifting could actually take place.